The dark side is waiting for you brother
by Castiel-Fan
Summary: Castiel and Dean are fighting a pack of demons in an old warehouse. With their last strength they manage to defeat the hellspawn. Dean faints and when he wakes up Castiel is gone. The desperate search for an angel begins. Not knowing what plans Lucifer forges against them...(Rated M just in case because of violence and gore)
1. Chapter 1

_**First things first.  
I DON'T OWN SUPERNATURAL! ALL RIGHTS BELONGS TO THE RESPECTIVE OWNERS OF THE SHOW!**___

_So this is my first serious fanfic i have written in quite some time now._

_Rated M just in case because of violence, blood and curse words ;)_

_And again i am so very sorry for grammer/spelling mistakes.  
Don't forget: My first language isn't english ;)._

_Hope you like it :)_

* * *

**_The dark side is waiting for you brother_**

**Chapter 1**

Battle cries filled the huge hall, cut through the air like a mighty sword.

A human and an angel fought side by side to survive.

Their opponents were numerous, their weapons were not enough, but they had to try everything in their powers to survive.

They weren't allowed to make any mistakes or they would die.

"Cas watch out! Behind you!"

The angel turned around and was just able to dodge an attack by a demon.

He quickly pressed his flat hand against his attacker's forehead and the demon died with a long, loud cry.

"DEAN!"

Castiel's eyes went rigid with shock as his companion was thrown to the ground by two demons. One held him down, the other raised his knife, ready to ram it into his chest and to send him back to hell.

But they forgot that their second opponent was an angel of the Lord and within a few seconds Castiel was by their sides and killed them at the same time as he pressed his hands against their foreheads and killed them with his heavenly power.

Panting and whimpering in pain, Dean let his friend help him back to his feet.

Back to back they stood there, trying not to let one second off the eyes of their opponents, but there were just too many.

Slowly they were circled, the circle was drawn closer and the demons raised their weapons, ready to kill the two friends.

"Shit! What do we do now?" Dean cursed, his heart pounding so hard in his chest that it started to hurt.

He had gotten severe wounds which bled heavily and weakened him and he secretly wondered how they had both come into this shitty situation.

He could remember that Bobby had found a few omen which were been close to them and he and Castiel wanted to check this, since they followed still one goal: to stop Lucifer and stop the apocalypse before it all go down the drain and this world would suffocate in flames.

"Come on Cas! Do something! Get us out of here!"

"I can't Dean!"

"This should surely be a joke!"

Dean reached out and struck one of the dark-eyed men to the ground and he rammed the dagger in his chest and the demon died screaming in agony under his hands.

Castiel looked after the rest of the demons on the other side who attacked them now.

There were more and more and the two combatants were becoming weaker by the second.

"Cas. Our chances are not good, what should we do?"

"I don't know, Dean. Fight as long as you can. You can't give up now."

"The same goes for you angel! We can't let them win this fight! Not today and not tomorrow. Never!"

Driven by new powers Dean and Castiel ran into the direction of the pack of bloodthirsty demons who was left and with the very last strength they had, the two managed to destroy the servants of Hell.

Completely exhausted the human and the angel fell in the middle of the great hall to the ground.

Now they were sitting there, back to back and did not speak a word to each other.

Too exhausted they were from the fight, too much hurt their bodies by the many wounds that both had to suffer.

But now it was finally over.

The demons were dead and they could finally disappear as soon as they would feel better.

One moment they wanted to sit there, build up their energy reserves at least, not knowing that this little moment would be the biggest mistake of their lives.

When Dean heard the menacing growl, it was already too late.

The clicking of claws, which scraping across the floor, penetrate to his ears.

Putrid breath stung his nose and another deep growl made him get goosebumps.

"Oh no..."

More the hunter could not get out as another growl penetrated to his ears.

And then another and another…

"Dean. I can see them... "

"I know Cas ..."

Dean closed his eyes and just wished it would be over soon.

He had no strength anymore.

Not enough strength to fight against this hellspawn who approached them with slow steps.

"They circle a us. Dean! What should we do?"

„We can't do anything Cas…"

The Angel tried to get up but his legs failed him and he fell right back, slammed his back into Deans, but not a sound left the bloody lips of the young hunter.

"Against Hellhounds we have no chance..."


	2. Chapter 2

_And here is chapter two._  
_Hope you like it :)_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

More and more Hellhounds huddled around their two victims, drew their circles closer and closer.

Castiel's eyes were rigid and a hint of fear spread through his body.

A feeling that he otherwise did not know, but these beasts were able to scare even an angel of the Lord.

He could see how the bloodstained fur raised in anticipation on their backs.

Razor-sharp claws leaving furrows in the ground, curved teeth in their mouths flashed pale in the light of the flickering neon lights over their heads and hot drool dripping onto the floor. Their eyes glittered ominously red, fixed the angel and the hunter and the muscles tensed under their fur, ready to dash forward and sink their teeth into their helpless prey to kill them and to drag their souls to hell.

The first person who screamed in pain was Dean when one of the hellhounds dashed forward and struck his teeth in one of his legs and dragged him away from the angel.

"D-Dean..."

It was only a whisper which left Castiel's lips and he was forced to watch helplessly as another hellhound ran up to Dean and struck his teeth in his arm.

Castiel wanted to get up and run to him, protect him from these beasts but his human vessel was injured, weakened, pulsated only so in pain.  
But Dean's panicked screams made him forget everything and he forced himself up slowly until he stood on shaky legs.

He was about to run to his best friend, but he made just two steps until a weight pulled him to the ground again. Razor sharp claws struck in his back, right between his shoulder blades, made him cry out in pain and writhe in agony.

He tried to apply his last reserves of strength and tried to push the hellhound off of his back, but he couldn't.

"Dean...no..." he gasped as he had to watch as Dean was pressed brutally against the cold floor and one of the beasts positioned himself above him and open his mouth, ready to kill him.

And in this one moment Castiel felt his strength returned.

With a deep growl, he managed to manifest his wings and threw the hellhound off his back, but another beast was quick to help, wanted to bite his wings and the angel could just barely in time lean away of the monster's reach.

With a single blow of his mighty wing he hurled the beast across the room and he forced himself up again and ran over to Dean.

He raised his angel blade and stabbed the chest of the beast that was bent over Dean and a bloodcurdling yelp left the hellhound's throat as the blade pierced it's body and forced the monster to the ground.

The other hounds of hell now turned away from Dean and focused on the angel.

They tried to attack him, but Castiel defended himself as best he could.

But he could no longer endure it and moments later he was again face first on the ground as another beast forced him to the ground and sharp fangs were buried in one of his black wings.

The angel cried out, and the power of his scream let the lights burst over their heads and some windows shattered and not only that, but some of the hellhounds whined when the power of the angel's true voice literally pierced their ears.

Dean gritted his teeth and protected his ears as best he could with his hands.

"DEAN! CLOSE YOUR EYES!" The hunter heard his best friend yell before his eyes began to glow and later a bright light filled the hall and the young man quickly shut his eyes.

Nevertheless, even if he still protected his ears with his hands, he could hear the howling of the hellhounds around them and they howled in pain when they went up in flames and then...it was all over!

The light faded, the whine ceased and darkness and silence lay over the old hall.

When Dean dared to open his eyes again he could only helplessly watch as Castiel collapsed and remained motionless on the floor.

"C-Cas..."

Slowly he tried to sit up, but he didn't make it.

The wounds were deep and he lost blood way too fast.

Slowly the world grew dark before his eyes and his head slumped to the ground.

The last thing he saw, before the darkness reached out her icy hand after him, was the shadowy figure of a young man, stretching out his hand to him...


	3. Chapter 3

_And the next Chapter._  
_I hope you'll like it :)_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Dean? Dean! Wake up! Please open your eyes!"

A pained moan came from his lips when he finally opened his eyes.

At least he tried, but the light of a lamp made him squeeze his eyes shut again.

"Hey, hey, hey! Dean! Open your eyes! Come on!"

He could feel how someone hit him against his cheek and slowly he opened his eyes again.

The face of his brother Sam stared anxiously down at him.  
But Dean could see Sam's face brightened again when he returned his gaze.

"Thanks heaven Dean! We thought we'd lost you."

Dean did not answer.

He was too weak and his body still hurt.  
He tried to look down at himself and gasped when he saw all the bandages that were wrapped around his arms, legs and chest.

"Slowly, Dean," Sam said and he pushed his hand gently against his brother's chest as he tried to sit up.

"You can't get up yet."

This voice clearly belonged to Bobby and when Dean turned his head slightly, he could see the older hunter sitting next to him in a wheelchair.

"Just rest Dean. Your wounds need to heal and you need rest."

"N-no..."

It was only a whisper which left Dean's lips, but Sam and Bobby had heard it.

The hunter tried again to sit up, but was pushed back by his brother again and this time the hand also held him down.

"Dean. Don't."

"C-Cas...where is he?"

Sam and Bobby looked at each other and the older Winchester could see the concern in their eyes. And he did not like at all...

"W-what's wrong with him?"

His voice grew louder and his eyes widened.

"We don't know Dean. We thought you knew. You were the last one who saw him."

Dean looked at his brother questioningly.

"He was all the time with me Sam. I have seen how he collapsed in front of me and then..."

His eyes were terror-stricken.

"And then what Dean? What happened?"

"There was something Sam...something has stretched out his hand to me and then I woke up here..."

To Dean's surprise the lips of his brother turned into a gentle smile, but before he could say a word, steps penetrated to his ears and a very well-known figure entered the room.

"Hello Dean."

"Gabriel?"

The Archangel leaned in the doorway, looking at him with folded arms.

His gaze was grave and his lips curled not as usual in his trickster grin.

No, his face remained hard and almost cold, which sent a shiver down Dean's spine.

"I was the one who brought you here. I saved your ass. What did you ever think you were doing? You and your brother you had discussed to do nothing about these demons, but you...you didn't listen to him! And look what happened to you!"

Dean's heart almost jumped out of his chest as the archangel spoke those words.

Sam stood up and walked respectfully to the side when Gabriel took his seat on the bed, he sat down at the side of the older hunter and slowly bent over him and looked him in the eyes.

"And now I want you to answering me this one question Dean."

The hunter swallowed hard and shuddered.

"Where is my little brother?"


	4. Chapter 4

_And the next chapter._  
_I admit: This one is just a filler._  
_The next Chapter will be longer and more interesting ;)_

* * *

**_Chapter 4_**

"What do you mean, you don't know? I thought he would have been with you all the time!"

"P-please Gabriel. Calm down."

"No! I will not calm down Dean. This is about my little brother. You from all of us here should know best how I feel now, am I right?"

The hunter closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he opened them again and looked at the Archangel.

"I know how you feel Gabriel. Believe me. I know that very well, but I can't tell you more, as I have already done. I don't know where Castiel is. I have seen how he collapsed in front of me before I fainted as well. Then I only know that I woke up here. I'm sorry..."

The last words were only a whisper, but the archangel had heard him and his face darkened.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes to slits and bent again over the hunter to look him deep into his eyes which made Dean shudder again.

"Try to remember Dean. What happened?"

"I have already told you. We were attacked by demons. They have lured us into an ambush. When we killed them we were attacked by hellhounds. They have almost killed us. Cas has destroyed them with the last bit of his strength and collapsed. And then I also fainted. How many times must I tell you that? I really don't know what happened to him! And do you think I would not worry about him? He's my best friend!"

Even Dean's eyes were dark and silently the two men stared at each other.

Until Gabriel sighed softly and sat up again.

His face was a little softer now and he ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry Dean. I'm just worried about him. Who knows what happened to him? Maybe he's already dead..."

"Stop it Gabe! We will find him! He's not dead!" Sam said now and he compassionately put a hand on his shoulder.

But in response he got only a sad nod from Gabriel and God's messenger lowered his head in silence.

"Gabriel. Castiel is tough. He will come back..."

"I agree. Listen to Sammy. You should have seen how he fought against the hellhounds. He ripped them apart as if they were nothing. Nobody can beat him so fast and you as his brother should know it best."

Now Gabriel's lips twitched upwards into a gentle smile and he turned his head to Dean and then Sam and Bobby.

"Thank you so much. And I'm sorry that I yelled at you earlier Dean. I am just worried about him. He is my little brother and I should take care of him, you know?"

"I understand you very well Gabriel, It is not different with me and Sam. But no matter what has torn us apart, we have repeatedly found each other and we are only human. You and your brother, you are angels. You will make it. You'll see: Cas will be back here soon and he'll be fine."

"Thank you, Dean."

The hunter returned the smile, which the angel gave him.

Then he closed his eyes and grimaced in pain.

"Dean, get some rest. Bobby and I are trying to find out something about Cas' disappearance. You should try to get some sleep in the meantime."

"I could help him if he wants it?"

"No, Gabriel. Save your forces. I'll be back on my feet soon."

"All right, Dean-o. Up to you."

And with a wing beat Gabriel was gone.

Also, Sam and Bobby made their way back into the living room of the small house and left Dean alone, so that he could get some sleep.

But of sleep the hunter could not think of.

Castiel no longer went out of his head, and even if the others haven't seen it, but he shared Gabriel's concern for the young angel and a terrible idea nestled in his subconscious, who no longer wanted to leave him alone.

What if Castiel was already dead and would never come back?

Or worse, what if the demons had captured him and he would lay on the torture rack in this moment?

Dean shook his head quickly, not wanting to think of such things.

He turned on his side, pulled the blanket up to his chin and closed his eyes.

"Oh Cas. I hope you are okay..."


	5. Chapter 5

_And the next chapter. And this time it is longer.  
And at the end is waiting a little suprise for you :3  
I must say: All of the following is the result of my crazy brain.  
My little "head-canon" for THIS fanfiction only if you wanna call it like that ;)._

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Darkness enveloped him as he opened his eyes.

Pain shot through his injured body like lightning, and a gasp came from his throat as he tried to move but he couldn't.

He tried to move his hands and feet, but shackles prevented him from.  
Shackles made to hold an angel of the Lord...

This realization fueled the fear in him even further and he felt how his body began to tremble.

A lamp was turned on, blazing bright light stung his eyes and he squeezed them together immediately and groaned in pain.

"Oh good. You're awake."

Castiel's eyes flew open once again and the pure shock was written all over his face as he recognized the voice.

A voice he knew way too well...

"Lucifer!"

Castiel shuddered strongly and was getting smaller and smaller as his hated brother came to his side, a ferocious grin on his face and a sinister glint in his eyes.

"Hello Castiel. Nice to see you again little brother."

The young angel's jaw dropped open in shock, his pupils were dilated and again he tore at his bonds, trying to free himself, but his attempts were doomed to failure from the beginning.

These handcuffs he could not break.

"What is it? You want to leave me again?"

The smug grin on Lucifer's face fueled the fear in his body even further.

"Let me go," he snarled with the last bit of his courage.

But Lucifer could clearly see the fear in his eyes and the increasingly strong tremors of his body betrayed him also.

"My, my, where are your manners dearest brother?"

Castiel shuddered and narrowed his eyes as the fallen angel brushed his index finger over his body and only now he realized that he was completely naked. Immediately his cheeks turned deep red. A reaction that he could not control and he was so hoping that his brother would not see that.

But the mocking laughter that followed only seconds later, confirmed that he had seen it.

"Brother...you embarrassme..."

It was only a whisper which left Castiel's lips and he didn't dare to look Lucifer in his eyes, so he turned his face away from him, and held his eyes still closed.

"Embarrassyou?"

The mocking laughter gave way to a deep growl and Castiel winced as the fallen angel grabbed his chin and turned his head back and forced him to look him in the face as he opened his eyes again.

"I have taken off your clothes because they were completely torn up and I took care of your wounds little brother, because you were not even able to do this on your own! If I had not been there, then you wouldn't be alive now."

Castiel needed some time to process the spoken words and his steel-blue eyes widened as the realization broke over him like a tidal wave.

"You was that? You have brought me out there?"

Lucifer released his chin, took a chair and sat down at his side.

His hard face was soft again and it almost looked to Castiel as nothing bad had ever happened between them that everything was back like before, when Lucifer was a good angel and not a monster which now reigned over hell.

But these were long-gone days and he knew that these times would never come back and it would never be like this between them as it once was.

"Yes, I have brought you out here."

"So you haven't sent us these demons and hell hounds?"

"Brother, I may be called a devil, but I would never wish my brother a death like this."

Castiel fell silent, not knowing what he should say.

Was this really the "devil" who had uttered these gentle words?

The young angel could hardly believe what he was hearing...

"Why?"

Lucifer raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Why do I have saved you?"

Castiel nodded silently.

The morning star rose again from his seat, sat down next to his brother's side at the table and looked at this face.

There was no mockery or ridicule, not even hatred in his blue eyes.

No!

It was something else.

An almost gentle sparkle was in his eyes which made Castiel shiver.

"I will not waste my time with talking brother. Team up with me."

"No, never!"

"Brother, what it brings you if you are together with these puny creatures when you could form this world together with me. You're only doing what Daddy says or your big brother Michael, but I...I would promise you a new life, a better life without princes or generals who tell you what you have to do. Together with me we will rule over this world and show father that he was wrong."

"You're sick! Humans are not the way you imagine it! I've seen goodness in them, love. Even pain and suffering, but are we so different, since father is gone? We are at war, killing our own brothers and sisters and for what? Because a son is in the midst of rage!"

Lucifer narrowed his eyes and leaned menacingly over Castiel.

His eyes pierced almost through the young angel's, made him shiver strongly.

"Pay attention to the choice of your words Castiel or it may be your last!"

"If you want to kill me then do it now, because I will never be on your site, nor will I tell you where Sam Winchester is, if that's what you want from me."

Lucifer's lips twisted into a sinister grin due to the words.

"Oh I'm not worried about Sam. Sooner or later he will come to me and he will say "yes" to me. At the moment I am only interested in you."

"Why? Because I'm like you? Because I am an outcast? I'm not like you, Lucifer! I've fallen for another reason!"

"Oh yeah? Is that you? Stop lying to yourself Castiel. You have just rebelled like me and like me you have fallen. There is no going back, neither for you nor for me."

"If it is so then I'd rather die. Kill me Lucifer. I have already chosen my site and it is certainly not yours."

"You prefer these wretched humans than me? What has become of you? Once you were one of the most powerful angels of heaven, and now...just look at you..."

Castiel's brows were knitted together now.

One of the most powerful angels in heaven?

"What are you talking there Lucifer? I'm just an ordinary angel..."

Again this wide grin appeared on his face, followed by a low, dark chuckle.

"You don't know?"

"What I don't know?"

A loud laugh came now from Lucifer's throat and his eyes began to sparkle in gloating.

"This is too funny. They must have given you a really bad brainwashing that you can't even remember who you are."

"I-I can't follow you brother."

Lucifer took his face in his hands and looked deep into his eyes.

"Castiel. You're no ordinary angel. You're a Seraphim!"


	6. Chapter 6

_I hope you like this chapter :)_  
_Don't ask me what happened at the end of this chapter...well...__spontaneity XD_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

It took Castiel a bit until he realized the spoken words.

He? A Seraphim?

This was completely impossible!

As far as he knew Seraphim had six wings and he would have probably noticed it if there were more than two wings on his back!

No matter what game Lucifer played here with him, he didn't like it. Not at all!

"Have you listened to your own words? This is utter bullshit Lucifer! Me? A Seraphim? This is not possible."

Castiel shuddered when his brother grinned at him.

"It's not impossible. They let you believe the whole time you were just a small angel who has to do the dirty work for them, isn't it so? In truth, they have ensured that you forget your true identity, which also applies to your real power. Castiel, can you imagine what a power you possess?"

The young angel needed some time to register the spoken words and the whole damn situation.

He couldn't believe what his big brother was saying...or didn't he want to believe it?

What if Lucifer told him the truth and his brothers and sisters had lied to him all the time?

"Just think about what you could do Castiel. You would even be able to fight against Michael."

The usually stoic-looking Angel narrowed his eyes and gave his brother a menacing look.

"Is that so? If I can fight against Michael, then I can certainly fight against you! Lucifer. Why would you kidnap me and brought me here if you know about the power I possess? Isn't that suicide?"

The fallen angel laughed softly and almost gently he stroked through the young angel's hair.

"I know that you don't have the courage to kill your big brother."

"Don't challenge me Lucifer!"

"Or what? You don't know how you can unleash your power. The other angels have blocked it in case you had not noticed. Only once they have allowed you to use a portion of your power, but you surely have already forgotten it, am I right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Have you ever asked yourself why you've managed to raise this human, Dean, from Hell? That would be a bit too much for a small, normal angel, don't you think?"

Castiel paused, seemed to consider and yes he had to agree with Lucifer.

He had often wondered why they had sent him to hell to save Dean when there had been so many other, much stronger, angels out there.

"Do you see now what I mean brother?"

Lucifer's voice brought him back from his thoughts and his hard face softened and he slowly nodded his head.

"Your words begin to make sense. Often I have wondered why they sent me to hell to save Dean. They could have taken one of the archangels but they have chosen me. I'm beginning to understand your words..."

"It's good that you understand it brother. I mean you no harm. I never wanted to. But you have fallen as I am and I know how it feels to be an outcast and you are one now, aren't you?"

Castiel lowered his eyes and closed them briefly.

"Yes, I am. I've noticed how the other angels treat me since I've fallen. Raphael told me I am no longer loyal to our father because I didn't obey my orders..."

"And these commands not even came from our father."

"Yes, I know brother..."

Lucifer stood up without a word and stood behind Castiel's head which made the younger angel shudder.

"Shhh calm down Castiel, I will not hurt you. I'll now take off the shackles and then you can decide what you want to do."

And Lucifer was true to his words.

He loosened the shackles on Castiel's wrists and ankles and the young angel immediately sat up and covered his nakedness with his hands because he still felt very uncomfortable to sit completely naked in front of his brother.

Lucifer chuckled and turned around and took something of a table which stood not far away from them.

"Here Castiel, I'm sure you'll recognize these garments."

Instead of the usual trench coat, the suit jacket and white dress shirt, Lucifer now held out a bright robe to him. The robe came together with a silver breastplate, which was used as some kind of armor. There were also pieces of armor for the arms, legs and the hips.

Lucifer grinned when he saw Castiel's slightly befuddled look and he put the robe on the table next to Castiel, stepped back and watched the other with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What is this?" the young angel asked after a few moments of silence.

"This, little brother, is the armor that you have once worn as you fought together at Michael's side against me and my angels. It was long time ago and you probably can barely remember it. You were very young..."

"W-what? Wait Lucifer, I can't believe you. Seraphim don't fight!"

"Don't tell that to me, tell it to our big brother if his mind has remained fairly normal."

"How am I to understand that now?"

"Michael called all the angels in this battle, even those who had never had anything to do with battles."

"You mean...he has sacrificed them?"

"You can see it like that. Yes. You're one of the last great angels who are still alive."

Castiel narrowed his eyes again.

"That's a lie! Our brother would never do such a thing! He was always fair, to all of us. Even to you!"

The fallen angel narrowed his eyes.

"Oh yeah? Was he? Even when he threw me into perdition? You call this fair?"

The young angel opened his mouth, but he didn't find the right words and therefore he bowed his head shamefully at the floor.

Lucifer came to his side, put his finger under his chin and lifted his head.

"One day you'll understand Castiel. Everything I've told you is true. Whether you believe it or not is your business, but be sure brother: Unlike our brothers I do not lie. What you'll do now should be your concern. You can crawl back to these pathetic naked apes, or you can stay here and let me teach you how you can use your powers."

His chin was released and the morning star took a few steps back.

"Think about it Castiel."

His lips curled into a small grin again.

"I'm sure we'll meet again soon, little brother..."

And the next moment Lucifer was gone, leaving Castiel back alone.

The young angel sat there in silence, tried once again to realize everything.

He could hardly believe what Lucifer had told him, but it just had to be the truth, because his words made sense and when he looked at the robe next to him he could feel that it seems familiar to him.

Still silently, he stood up and grabbed the robe and pulled it over his head.

This was followed by the armor which he tied around his arms, legs, waist and chest.

The only thing that was missing now was a sword and he would almost look like his big brother Michael.

With a soft sigh on his lips, he closed his eyes, paused briefly in this position and seemed to consider, and the next moment he was gone.

He needed some time for himself now...


	7. Chapter 7

_Ugh crappy english ahead. Seriously i think this time my english sucks so bad...  
I am so sorry. (But this chapter was hard to translate)_

_Anyway i've finaly been able to update on this fanfic.  
I'll try to put some more "action" into the next chapters._

_And by that way i have seen i've got some pretty nasty problems with some of my fanfictions over here.  
I don't know where that problem came from, but in some of my fanfics the sentences are kind of  
squeezed together. I don't know how to change that or to get rid of this problem.  
Anyone here who has the same problem? It is very annoying :(._

**_Chapter 7_**

"And? Did you find anything out about Cas?"

Sam and Bobby turned their heads at the same time as Dean walked into the office.

His steps were slow and whenever he put his right leg onto the ground he scrunched up his face in pain.

"Dean, we have told you, you should be resting," it came from Sam and he wanted to get up and run to the side of his brother to help him, but Dean raised his hands and showed his brother that he didn't need his help.

_Stubborn as__always!_ Sam thought to himself and he had to control himself not to roll his eyes as he sat down again.

"I'm fine, Sam, don't worry about me."

"Dean, he's right. You should really go back to bed and try -"

"I'm fine, Bobby!" Dean interrupted the older hunter and he sat down on one of the free chairs.

"It's up to you boy. And to come back to your question: No, we haven't found out anything about Cas. Gabriel has also been around for hours on the road and interviewed every angel he could find, but so far we haven't received a response from him."

Dean hung his shoulders and sighed.

"Cas you idiot..." he whispered softly to himself and he clenched his hands into fists.

So much that his knuckles turned white.

The older of the two Winchester brothers was about to open his mouth and say something, when the sound of fluttering wings prevented him and a few moments later Gabriel was in the room.

The archangel looked as if he was straight on the run because he was breathing heavily and clutching his right arm and only now Sam, Dean and Bobby could see the blood that was on the sleeve of his jacket.

"Gabriel? What happened to you? "It came from Sam.

"Calm down Samantha, that's just a little scratch. I'll be fine, " God's messenger grumbled and he sat down on Bobby's table.

"That does not answer his question," Bobby said and he and Sam moved around the table in order to get a better look at the angel.

"Come on, Gabriel, spit it out already: Where have you been? Have you found out anything about Castiel?" Dean wanted to know.

Gabriel ran his fingers through his hair before he looked around and finally opened his mouth to give them an answer to their questions.

"I did indeed. I was in heaven, where I interviewed all the angels who crossed my path. And I've made some interesting discoveries."

He paused for a moment, panting as the pain in his arm increased.

"And that would be?" Bobby wanted to know.

"The angels are restless. Something is happening and it has certainly to do with Lucifer."

"Lucifer?"

Dean's hands clenched into fists again.

"What about him?" He wanted to know.

"It looks as if he would search for renegade angels."

"That's nothing new Gabriel. He is doing that since he is out of the cage. Come on, tell us something new!"

"Calm down Dean-o. That was only half of what I found out. I was able to find out that Lucifer has already managed to pull a few of the angels on his side. Some of them attacked me because they act as some kind of spies in heaven to spy on Michael and the others. It has come to my attention that Lucifer had contact to another, fallen angel which he found seriously injured. Doesn't that ring a bell inside you?"

"Do you think this angel is Cas?"

"I think yes Dean. And there's something else. I have heard that this angel is supposed to be something special. What's so special about him I don't know, because before I could figure out they have discovered and attacked me. I fled as fast as I could. Well, and here I am."

"So Cas is still alive?"

Dean's eyes lit up and also Sam and Bobby sighed in relief.

Gabriel nodded to his question, but his eyes remained hard and he almost seemed cold.

"Okay, if he's alive, doesn't that mean that Lucifer has pulled him onto his side? I mean, Lucifer is not an idiot. He kills those who do not want to join him. Since Cas is still alive should mean that he has joined him, right?"

"Sam! How can you say such a thing?"

"He's right Dean. We have to take everything into consideration. Even that..." it came from Bobby.

"But...wait a second. Gabriel. What do you mean by "This angel is special"? Did you mean Cas?"

"I don't know, Dean. Like I said that was all what I have been listening to before they attacked me. I just know that we have to be very careful. When my little brother has really joined Lucifer's side, then we have a problem. Above all, we don't know what plans Lucifer has in mind for him."

"What are we waiting for?"

Dean rose heavily from his chair, gasped again as the pain ran through his leg up into his brain, but he tried to ignore it.

"Dean! Stop it, what should we do? Shall we just go to Lucifer and fight against him? That is absolutely impossible. Not even Gabriel would stand a chance against him. The only one who can fight him is Michael and without his vessel he will not do it and I don't think that you will say "Yes" to him now!"

Dean thought about it for a moment before he hung his head and sat back down.

"You're right, Sammy. But I am just worried about him."

A gentle hand was laid on his shoulder and when he looked up, he looked at Gabriel's almost gentle face.

"We're all worried about him Dean. But we can't act rashly. First of all, we need to find out where he is and we have to make sure that he has not joined Lucifer's side. Personally I can't imagine that. Sometimes Castiel is an idiot, but he knows that Lucifer can never be trusted. But still we have to be sure."

Dean sighed and nodded his head.

"I understand..."

"Good. Bobby? I hope you don't mind if I stay here overnight to take care of my wounds?"

"No, that's okay. Personally I feel much safer to know that an archangel is around me."

Gabriel smiled, squeezing Dean's shoulder gently and he turned around and went into the adjoining living area and the others followed him also a little later.

Only Dean stayed behind for a while, thinking.

And inside he hoped so much that Castiel was not so stupid and made common cause with Lucifer.

Because then they would have a huge problem...


	8. Chapter 8

_This chapter was pretty hard to translate from german into english.  
I apologize for mistakes and i also apologize if some sentences are again squeezed together.  
Like i said before: I have no idea how to solve this problem :(_

_I hope you like it :D_

Gorgeous silence surrounded him.

Only the sound of a small stream, the chirping of birds and the whisper of the wind were the only things that came to his ears.

Long he had been sitting here in the midst of a forest on the banks of a small creek.  
His blue eyes stared for almost an hour in the water flowing past and he was trapped in his thoughts.

He couldn't get Lucifer's words out of his head and the robe and the armor he wore now, looked more familiar to him with every additional minute that passed and slowly the memories of the past seemed to come back to him as well.

Memories of a long forgotten battle.

Memories of moments that were so terrible that he would rather forget them forever...

But if he wanted to find out something about his past, he had to dig deep in his subconscious. And that's what he did for some time now.

But no matter how hard he tried, the memories just could not get through to him and it almost felt like a wall in his head which he could not break. No, it was too strong...

He tried it in a different way and a few minutes before he had made his wings visible, but, as was to be expected, there were still only two wings that were on his back. Not six wings, like a seraphim had, no. There were only two pitch-black, normal angel wings and slowly he began to doubt Lucifer's words.

But it was not just the words of his fallen brother which he doubted, but also the words of his other brothers and sisters...and himself.

Lucifer had a point.

How could he manage to get Dean out of hell when he was just a poor and feeble little angel. He would never have had enough strength to do so, unless he was not what he believed to be.

And also, when he had fought in the factory hall against the crowd of Hellhounds, he had wondered where he suddenly had so much power to destroy this hell spawn with only a single, powerful blow.

It was all so confusing...

There were so many questions in his mind and it almost felt as if his head would burst.

Most of all he would have cried out loud, all his frustration, just screamed into the sky, but he reined himself.

He couldn't lose his mind now, had to remain quiet and trying to cope with the situation, but it was not easy, as more and more images made their way through the tiny cracks in the wall that was in his brain.

He fought against it with all his remaining power.

No!

He didn't want to see it!

Not again!

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make it and he lost the battle.

Even before the battle with the demons and the hellhounds he had hardly possessed strength and now it was almost completely depleted.

And there's a question crept into his head: If it had not been Lucifer, who had send them these demons and hellhounds?

A question that he could answer later, because his head was no longer possible to more questions, because more and more the wall threatened to explode and it got more cracks and more terrible scenes of recent days poured out of it.

He could see a host of angels who stormed with raised swords on another crowd of angels and in the middle of the battlefield, which was already soaked with blood, they clashed. Brother fought against brother, sister against sister. Blades crossed, wings beating excitedly around and screams of pain cut through thick air.

"No…"

His hands reached into his black hair and began to tug at it as tears gathered in his eyes and he tried to prevent more memories came through the wall, but he couldn't.

He was too weak and let go when his memories broke almost like a daunting and all-destroying flood over him.

Surrounded by the angelic host, he saw himself as he knelt with bloodstained robes in the blood of his brothers and sisters. His eyes were wide with shock, his hands gripping the sword in his trembling hand, but his body would not move.

Another angel came to his side, grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him, but he didn't respond, he could no longer avert his eyes from the battle around him.

"Castiel! Get up!"

Balthazar's words sounded as if it came from far away and once again he was shaken. But still he didn't move.

Then he remembered as Balthazar unceremoniously lifted him up in his arms and ran off. With his free arm he swung his mighty sword, killed those who once were his brothers and sisters. He could not think about it, not now and his feet carried him farther and farther. Almost he had made it but then Balthazar cried out in pain, and Castiel slipped from his arms and fall hard onto the ground. Helpless, he had to watch as his big brother came up on the floor and stopped moving. In his side the blade of another angel stuck, who now leaned down to him.

"No!"

Castiel could only make out the shadowy figure of Naomi and then his memories took an abrupt end when he had fainted.

The last thing he could remember was that he had been ordered to free Dean Winchester out of Hell. Everything he had done previously no longer get through to him. No matter how hard he tried to remember. And if he was honest, he didn't even want to remember anymore...

How long he remained there, silently, desperately, he didn't know.

It could have been minutes, even hours, and he wouldn't care...

The tears had long since dried up as he raised his head.

His steel-blue eyes sparkled ominously as he had made a decision and he closed them again, focused to send a message.

A message that went to the last of his brothers whom he still trusted.

_Lucifer, if you can hear me...I believe you. Show me the truth. Teach me, to use my strength... teach me to commit revenge on those who did this to me. I'll wait for you brother..._


	9. Chapter 9

_And a new chapter. I hope you will like and i would appreciate feedback very much ;)._

The days had passed.

Weeks had passed and they still hadn't heard anything from Castiel.

There was not even a sign of life from the young angel and slowly they began to expect the worst.

Even Gabriel seemed to have given up all hopes to find his little brother.

He had searched everywhere for him, asked angels in heaven and on earth, even demons he had "asked", but nobody had told him that his brother was alive.

Now he was sitting in Bobby's house, weakened by the almost seemingly endless search for his beloved brother and the despair was written on his face whenever he raised his head.

A gentle hand was laid on his shoulder and he looked up, looked straight into Dean's gentle-looking face. But if he looked more closely into the green eyes of the human he recognized the despair, because Sam, Dean and Bobby had really tried everything to find Castiel in the last few weeks. Unsuccessful.

It was as if the angel was swallowed by the earth...

"Cheer up Gabriel," Dean tried, but it was no use because the Archangel buried his face in his hands.

"Don't tell me again, that he is doing well Dean. You know very well that this is a lie. My little brother is gone and I don't think he will ever come back."

"Don't say that."

Gabriel raised his head to peer through his fingers and the hunter shuddered because of the sinister look he got from him.

"What else can I say Dean? Should I pretend that everything is fine? Should I pretend that my little brother didn't disappear? I'm sorry, but I can't. I have done this more than enough in the last weeks. I just can't do that anymore... "

"Hey, hey Gabe. Calm down, please. We'll find him."

"Oh?! And when will that be? Stop pretending Dean! You're just as desperate as the rest of us! We will not find him. He's probably long dead..."

A growl escaped Dean's throat and without thinking he grabbed Gabriel at the collar of his shirt and pulled him so close to him that their noses almost touched.

Neither of them dared to say a word and silently they glared at each other.

"Now listen to me carefully Gabriel! You have previously never gave up hope and you will not do so now, do you understand me?!"

"Careful Dean! Do you realize to whom you're talking here?"

"To nothing more than a pathetic coward who give up too quickly!"

That was the straw that broke the camel's back and with a quick move the archangel freed himself from the strong grip and rammed Dean against the wall.

Once again, the two men glared at each other in silence and in their eyes flowed so much anger and so much despair that even Lucifer would get the shivers.

Just then the door swung open and Sam and Bobby entered the house. When he saw the angel and his brother Sam immediately dropped everything he was holding in his hands before and ran over to the two to calm them down. Bobby followed only less later.

"Gabriel? Dean? What happened? "Sam wanted to know with concern in his voice, but neither his brother nor of the Archangel answered him.

"Hey you two idiots! When you are done trying to kill each other with your looks then you can help me a little!" Bobby growled, who was getting tired of keeping these two brawlers apart.

Situations like this were nothing new to him.

They were almost to the agenda.

He was not surprised, because the loss of their friend didn't leave him untouched, but he showed no signs. At least not as extreme as Dean or Gabriel...

The two turned their heads to Bobby, glaring again at each other and Gabriel decided to let go of Dean after a few more moments.

Silently the angel turned around and his feet carried him outside and just moments later he came back with a few shopping bags, which he let fall on the sofa before he sat down and his hands went through his face.

No one dared to say anything and even Bobby remained silent, because he hadn't seen Gabriel so dejected as he was now. It was almost heartbreaking and he could well imagine how much the loss of his little brother bothered him. Often he had experienced it with Sam and Dean, but the Archangel appeared to be even worse, if this was still possible.

Sam was the first who dared to reach out his hand to the angel and he sat down next to him. Carefully, he put his arm around his shoulders and pulled him close and Gabriel seemed to forget his pride for a few moments, because he leaned silently against Sam's shoulder and closed his eyes and it was not long before a faint sob could be heard.

That was the first time that they saw Gabriel like this.

Never had he dropped his icy facade before.

No.

Otherwise, he had always been happy or sarcastic when he was again in the role of the trickster, but no one had ever seen him so sad, or even hear him sobbing as at this moment. It was heartbreaking and Sam hugged him even closer, trying to calm him down as he stroked his back gently, but nothing was able to calm Gabriel down now.

"It's all my fault," he sobbed and he clung to Sam's leg.

"It's my fault that he's gone! It was my job to take care of him. I have failed as a big brother."

"Shhh Gabriel, calm down," the younger Winchester tried to calm the angel down, but it was no use.

Dean and Bobby dared to come a little closer to them and took place in front of them.

Dean sat down on the small table and Bobby remained beside them in his wheelchair.

"No, Sam, I will not calm down! I just can't! First I lose my father, then I have to watch how my brothers and sisters slaughter each other, then I lose my two big brothers Michael and Lucifer, and now I have also lost my little brother Castiel. Tell me Sam, how would you feel in my place?"

Sam didn't know what he should answer.

He couldn't imagine the full extent of the feelings that existed currently in Gabriel.

He would worry about Dean as well when he was gone. He had seen it often enough, but Gabriel's situation was even worse, because he had thousands of years to live with the loss of his brothers and sisters.

No, no one in this world could imagine the extent of his despair.

The three men watched him in silence, because nobody knew what to say and Sam pressed the Archangel against his side and listened to his steady sobs.

They had to give him his time to calm down…


	10. Chapter 10

And the next chapter. Hope you'll like it :)

And again: I would appreciate feedback very much

"Guys? I'm worried about Gabriel."

Dean and Bobby turned their heads almost simultaneously when Sam had uttered these words with great concern in his voice, and when they looked in the young hunters face, they could see his concern all too well.

"What is it Sam? What is wrong with Gabriel?" Dean wanted to know immediately and a hint of his own concern was heard in his voice.

"I haven't seen him for hours. Earlier, he said he wanted to go outside and since then I haven't seen him. Do you know where he is?"

Bobby and Dean exchanged worried glances before their eyes turned back to Sam.

It needed no words to Sam to answer his question and the younger Winchester sighed and dropped his shoulders.

"Sorry Sam," Bobby tried, but his encouraging words didn't work, because the young hunter had turned his head away again and disappeared into the living room.

"What's wrong with him?" the oldest hunter wanted to know and he looked at Dean questioningly.

Dean sighed, before he started to respond.

"You know, Bobby, since Gabriel is now on our side he and Sam have befriended. It is similar like me and Cas. The two are almost like best friends and I can understand him, that he is worried about Gabriel's strange behavior. It is bad enough that we lost Cas. To lose even Gabriel now would be too much, especially for Sammy."

"I can understand his situation very well Dean, but we have to control our emotions. We must be strong and must keep a cool head. You heard what our Archangel said. What if Cas has really changed to the dark side? That would be disastrous! Especially if he is this special angel Lucifer has spoken of. We have to keep calm and make no mistakes now, do you understand?"

"I know Bobby, but we can't change it. I'm also very worried about Cas and Gabriel."

"I'm sure Gabriel is doing well. He has already experienced some other things, I am sure. He will calm down and you would do well to do the same."

"We will try Bobby."

Dean stood up and took the bottle of beer, which had stood next to him on the little table and took a swig before he turned his back on Bobby.

"I will first talk to Sammy. And if Gabe is here again, I'll talk to him as well. We'll find a solution to the problem. We have always managed to find a way out of the darkness!"

Without waiting for an answer, Dean left the small room and Bobby could see, as he flopped down on the old sofa next to his brother and reassuring put an arm around his shoulders.

Hopefully Dean would be able to calm Sam down a bit.

He looked away after some time and turned his eyes back to the book he had just read...

Several hundred miles away from them, the world was quite different.

With fire in his eyes Gabriel reached out and slapped his opponent again in the face, but his prisoner threw back his head and let out a loud, sardonic laugh, which brought the rage in the body of the Archangel to blaze.

"Stop laughing and answer my questions, demon!" He growled and he reached out to hit him again.

A pair of pitch black eyes glared gleefully and mocking at the same time and the demons lips curled into a wide grin.

"You can beat me as often as you like. I will tell you nothing."

"Oh yes, you'll do that!"

And a new blow struck the demon, this time exactly in the stomach, but it did not even seem to bother him, because he laughed loudly yet again.

"If the good Jack knew that he is being beaten up by an angel of the Lord...I'm sure he would be ready for the insane asylum. You have to know that he was a devout man before I took his body," the demon sneered and his grin widened as the eyes of the angel darkened.

Gabriel had to calm himself down because this demon provoked him good.

He had a task that had to be dealt with and he wanted to finish it as quickly as possible.

"I ask you one last time: Where is my little brother?!"

Almost black eyes began to sparkle in front of him and a dark chuckle escaped the throat of the demon.

"I've already told you. Your little brother is long gone. I have even seen how Lucifer has finished him. He is dead. Don't you get it? He will never come back to you...and maybe he's even happy about that..."

And another blow followed in which the demon began to feel the full wrath of the archangel, because this time came a low, pained gasp from his throat.

But it does not take long and he grinned broadly yet again.

"Yes, come on! Hit me one more time! That turns me on."

Gabriel narrowed his eyes to thin slits and he clenched his hands into fists.

"You disgust me you son of a bitch," he growled.

"And I don't believe a single word! I know my brother well enough to know that he is alive!"

"Oh no Gabriel, he is no more. He has left you. Just as you've left your daddy and you flee, like a little cowardly chicken. I am sure Daddy is just glad to finally be rid of you and your brothers will think so too. "

That was the straw that broke the camel's back now and with a quick movement Gabriel had grabbed the demon by the collar of his shirt and looked right into those deep black and with sarcasm dripping eyes.

"Don't you dare to speak about my family like that! I'm warning you! One more word and I'll kill you, do you understand me?! I can find another demon and interrogate him!"

"And this demon will tell you the exact same thing as me. Accept it Gabriel. Castiel is dead. He will never come back to you again!"

"That's enough!"

Within a few seconds, Gabriel had reached for his angel blade and rammed it into the demon's stomach.

With a laugh on his lips the demon died before his eyes and then there was silence in the small room.

Gabriel just didn't know how many times he had to repeat this procedure.

A demon after another he had taken and interrogated, but they all had said the same thing and slowly he began to doubt whether they had said the truth about his little brother or not.

The angel blade slipped from his hand, clattered to the ground and only a little later the archangel followed, fell to his knees and he buried his hands in his short hair.

"Forgive me father. For all I've done...and that I couldn't protect my little brother... please...I beg you for forgiveness..."

But Gabriel received no answers to his prayers, no matter how many times he repeated it this evening.

It was hopeless for him.

All hope was lost...


	11. Chapter 11

_I am sorry that this chapter is so short.  
You could say it's the calm before the storm ;)._

**_Chapter 11_**

It was already in the middle of the night when Gabriel was back on the road.

He could have simply zap himself with a little bit concentration into Bobby house, but he couldn't muster enough concentration at the moment.

In addition, he needed a little time for himself and a small walk would do him good he decided.

His head was full of thoughts.

Thoughts about his brother.

Thoughts about Lucifer and his dark plans.

Thoughts about the words of the demon, he had brutally tortured just a few hours ago.

And thoughts about his father, who apparently didn't care what his sons were doing and that they came to death by their deeds.

He completely stopped caring about anything!

Gabriel clenched his hands into fists, resisting the urge to punch a hole into the next wall. Instead, his eyes closed and he paused, listening into the darkness, feeling the cool night breeze gently wipe over his skin and listening to its whisper and it seemed to be able to at least calm him down just a little bit.

He sat down on a small bench that stood at the edge of the forest path, in which he was at the moment. He sighed and ran his hands through his face and his eyes went skyward.

He had thought the peace and solitude was able to calm him down, but the exact opposite occurred, because at that moment he missed his little brother more than ever.

He remembered back to a time when everything was still in order.

Where he and his brothers had not fought against each other.

A time when his big brother Lucifer had been one of the good angels and he was always there for them. Just as he had always been there for Castiel.

Often they had been sitting in the grass at night and had looked at the twinkling stars high above their heads and often Castiel, young and innocent as he was back then, has stretched his little arms towards heaven, and tried to pick one of the stars from heaven for his big brother.

Melancholy spread in Gabriel's body and his eyes grew dim, they lost their otherwise so expressive and confident sparkle and the grief over the loss of his beloved little brother had almost burst his heart.

And slowly the dark words of the demon started to take shape.

So long he now had been looking for Castiel.

He had been in heaven, had even interrogated demons, but no one would give him the information he needed...or he wanted to hear the most.

And slowly he also began to believe that Castiel was dead.

All angels who opposed Lucifer would be killed mercilessly by him.

There were no exceptions...why should Castiel be the exception?

But when it came to this special angel, Lucifer would have directed special attention to him and not kill him. No, he would plan terrible things with him.

The Archangel shuddered and shivered when he thought about how his little, innocent brother made common cause with the devil and it was probably possible to be forced to fight against him instead to protect him before the dark powers that lured in this world.

He shook his head.

No!

This was something he couldn't even think of!

He would never bring it over his heart to harm or even kill his little brother, whom he had raised.

There had to be another way and even if he had to go through hell, he would find this way!

But a renewed shiver made him stop and his expression became serious.

Something in him stirred.

A thought of the distant past seemed to spread in his head.

This special angel...

"Oh no..."

Gabriel's eyes were numb with shock at the realization that hit him hard.

He remembered only vaguely what had happened.

There were only fragments of his memory, but they were enough to freeze the blood in his human vessel and within seconds he was back on his feet, focused and was gone.

He had to warn Sam, Dean and Bobby because if his suspicion was confirmed, they would be dead soon if he would come too late...


	12. Chapter 12

_And the next chapter._  
_And again I would appreciate feedback very much._  
_This fanfic has a lot of followeres but not a single one of them seems to write a comment._  
_I put a lot of effort in this fic and i would love to hear what you think about it._

_**Chapter 12**_

"Sam?! Dean?! Bobby?! Where are you?"

Driven by panic Gabriel had returned to Bobby's house.

But no one seemed to be present and it filled his heart with a long-forgotten fear that threatened to spread more and more in his body, the more he searched for the hunters.

It was bad enough that his little brother Castiel was gone, but now the hunters as well?

"This can't be true!"

Of course it wasn't allowed for an angel to curse.

Especially not for an angel of his rank, but the desperation made him do that.

And his father wouldn't care so or so…

"WHERE ARE YOU?!" he roared in his despair as he stood in the middle of the living room, listening to the silence in the hope to hear any signs of life.

But there was nothing!

"Please...answer me! Where are you?"

The more he tore open doors, the more did his desperation and fear grow in him and a worse suspicion nestled into his subconscious.

What if it was already too late and the hunters were dead now?

Gabriel shook his head hastily, didn't even want think of such a thing.

Sam, Dean and Bobby were good and experienced hunters who had dealt with hellhounds. Not to mention the terrible demons, such as the yellow-eyed or Lilith, with whom they had already dealt. And then there was the matter with Zachariah, who had tried to "persuade" Dean to say "Yes" again and again with the most brutal methods he could think of.

The Winchesters had more than once proven that they were tough!

Nevertheless, God's messenger didn't calm down in the slightest.

Not until he had found Bobby and the Winchesters!

Again he tore open a door on the upper floor of Bobby's house.

The room was dark because the curtains were drawn and it looked dusty.

Nevertheless, the Archangel entered and searched the room with his eyes, until he spotted a piece of paper, lying on the bed in front him.

New hope burgeoned in him and he immediately ran over to the bed and picked up the note.

As he read, he was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he had not even noticed the shadow that spread slowly in the doorway. And not even the pair of bright blue eyes watching him silently…

As one of the floorboards creaked, Gabriel dropped the note, which had been only an old list with Bobby's exotic errands. He remained silent in his position, his muscles tensed under his skin and out of the sleeves of his sweater he let his angel blade slide in his right hand.

Short his eyes closed and he listened into the darkness.

But there was nothing that sounded in his ears, and he briefly played with the thought, he had only imagined these sounds. But the dark aura that had occupied the room so suddenly was still palpable. Beads of sweat were visible on his forehead and he clutched his sword so hard that his knuckles turned white.

The aura that he felt clearly belonged to an angel.

But rarely had he felt so much hatred and so much wickedness in the aura of an angel before.

Except for one ...

"Lucifer..."

A cool breeze tickled his neck and made him shiver.

"Try it again!"

That voice...

Gabriel's eyes widened and he immediately turned around, angel blade in his hand and ready to fight, but there was nothing. No angel standing behind him, ready to kill him. And the dark aura suddenly disappeared. Back a cool breeze remained that gave him the shivers.

Then the sound of a door opening sounded in his ears and without really thinking about it he ran. He still held his blade tightly clasped as he rushed down the stairs and shortly afterwards came to a halt.

"Gabriel? What are you doing here? Is everything okay with you?"

Relief was written in Sam's face and Dean and Bobby felt no differently when they saw the Archangel.

But something was wrong with him.

Their eyes fell on the blade in his shaking hands and his wide eyes.

"Gabriel? What happened?" it came from Dean and he stepped forward and placed both hands on his shoulders.

"Hey! Come on. Answer me!"

To give his word more power Dean shook the angel slightly and this also brought him back into reality.

"D-Dean?"

Shocked the humans looked at the Trickster, because never before had been so much fear in his trembling voice as in this one moment. His golden eyes were also filled with so much fear, as they had never seen before. Nothing was left of the mocking glint, which otherwise dominated the eyes of the Trickster. No. Only fear had remained...

"Come on Gabriel. Sit down and tell us what happened."

Carefully Sam and Dean led the angel to the small sofa.

Bobby handed him a glass of whiskey with which Gabriel emptied immediately before he was reasonably responsive again. He was still shaking and in his eyes was still the shock. If the hunters doesn't know it better, they would think Gabriel had just seen a ghost.

"Gabriel? Hey! Gabriel! Come on man! Look at me!"

Dean had grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him slightly yet again, trying to bring him back to reality and it even had an effect, because the angel blinked a few times before he turned his head and looked into Dean's eyes.

"Dean?"

"Yes, it's me. It's alright."

"N-no…No! Nothing is alright!"

Gabriel was quickly back on his feet, before the hunters were able to prevent it.

"Gabriel, calm down," Sam tried his luck, but the angel did not seem to hear his words, because he started to dig through Bobby's belongings and started to pack a bag.

"We have to get out of here and hide!"

"What? Why must we hide? Gabriel, what the hell is wrong with you?"

God's messenger gave Dean a sharp look that strongly cowed the hunter.

"Watch your words Dean; they may be bitter reality..."

A strong shiver went through Dean's entire body and he choose to remain silent.

After just ten minutes Gabriel had everything packed that they might need sooner or later.

He secretly hoped it would be later rather than sooner...

"Come on, we must get out of here," he urged the three humans as he ran to the front door.

"You still haven't told us what is wrong with you and what happened when we were gone."

"Believe me Sam, it's better if you don't know some things. The same is true for the two of you as well."

The last words were addressed to Dean and Bobby, who wrapped themselves in silence, as the Archangel had turned around to look at them.

"Don't you want to tell them the truth?"

Gabriel almost froze to ice, as this dark and so familiar voice sounded in his ears, and he didn't dare to turn around.

Helplessly he watched as Sam, Dean and Bobby almost simultaneously gasped in shock and their jaws dropped open and their eyes widened. A shiver went through their bodies, and he could see how they were trying to take a few steps backwards.

"Look at me when I talk to you...brother..."

Gabriel hardly dared to turn around, but something in him, a foreign power perhaps, forced him to. Slowly, he turned on his heel until his eyes stopped at the angel who looked at him emotionless with cold eyes.

A fine breeze let the white robe he was wearing dance.

Six powerful wings spread from behind his back.

Cool wind brushed gently through his black feathers and his short hair and an eerie aura was around him, as he turned his bright blue eyes on his brother.

And Gabriel almost froze to stone.

"Castiel..."

An almost sardonic smile touched the lips of the Seraphim, but it did not reach his eyes, because they remained hard and cold.

"Hello...big brother...


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter 13**_

Gabriel wanted to turn his eyes away as he could feel the icy gaze of his little brother on his body, but he didn't want to show weakness, because that would be fatal in a situation like this.

It wasn't only his life which was in danger right now.

"C-Cas? Is that…you?"

Dean dared to step forward two steps, but immediately Gabriel's piercing gaze stopped him.

"Quiet Dean! Stand back!" Gabriel warned the human and his eyes looked back at his brother, who still stood there and looked at him emotionless.

"We have been looking for you everywhere Castiel..." Gabriel tried to start the conversation, but it seemed to have no effect, because the angel before him did not react, his gaze remained still ice cold and piercing.

"Oh yes? Did you do that Gabriel?"

The Archangel shivered.

He could hear the darkness which was hidden in the words of his brother.

"Yes, we have. We were worried about you."

Gabriel saw how Castiel clenched his hands into fists and if he knew no better, he could have sworn that the temperature would have fallen by a few degrees at this moment...

"You were worried about me? Is that really the truth brother?"

Castiel tried to preserve the peace, trying to stay calm, but Gabriel could feel the dark presence clearly, but he also tried to preserve the peace.

"Yes, we have. What happened to you? You look...different."

The Seraph narrowed his eyes, glared at him darkly and Gabriel could see the feathers lined up on his night-black wings. A sign that the anger slowly but surely gained the upper hand over the angel.

The archangel had to act quickly and come up with something before the situation escalated, because against the fury of a seraphim himself he could do nothing. Moreover, the lives of Sam, Dean and Bobby were at danger. He wanted to protect them at all costs from the wrath of his brother. It wasn't their fault after all...

"Isn't it obvious what happened to me?" the cold voice of the seraphim brought him back from his thoughts and he shivered again.

"My big brother has revealed the truth to me. He showed me what I really am. And he showed me how wrong my brothers and sisters were and what they did to me in all these millennia. You knew it too, right Gabriel? As one of the seven great Archangels you know well what I am and what happened to me."

Gabriel bowed his head and that was answer enough for Castiel.

"Yes, I knew it brother. But you have to understand, I wanted to protect you from yourself."

"By conceal my origin?!"

Castiel had raised his voice and Gabriel could see from the corners of his eyes, as how the humans among them took a few steps backwards.

"Try to understand Cas. I had no choice..."

Again his brother gave him this piercing look, making him take back a few steps himself now.

"Since our father is gone each of us has a choice."

"And what is your choice? You are now on Lucifer's side and together with him you want to destroy this planet? Is this what you want?"

Now the Archangel had raised his voice as well and Sam, Dean and Bobby flinched when two powerful, golden wings suddenly spread behind his back.

"No. I want retribution and punish those who did this to me."

"And what do you want here?"

Again Castiel narrowed his eyes and Gabriel did the same.

"I'm not here to kill you."

"Oh no? What is it then?"

"I'm here because I want to make my big brother a gift. He was the one who told me the truth."

Castiel's eyes met those of his brother, and his eyes burned into the Archangel's.

"Give me Sam Winchester and I'll leave you alive. If you refuse, then I will kill you and take what I want."

Gabriel was silent and the others did the same.

In their eyes, the pure horror was to be seen, and even the usually quiet and mocking acting Trickster among them could not believe his ears.

Was this really his little brother whom he had raised so lovingly?

Gabriel almost automatically went into a fighting position and spread his wings out. His feathers fluttered and in his golden eyes anger began to sparkle and he let his angel blade glide into his right hand.

"No. I will not let you do this Castiel," he said, and he tried to keep his voice calm.

"Then you leave me no choice..."

His opponent pulled a sword from his scabbard, which he wore on his left side and he also got ready for a fight.

"Gabriel, no!" Dean tried to stop the Archangel, but Gabriel pushed him back.

"Stand back Dean. This is a fight I have to fight out alone. Take your brother and Bobby and get out of here. I will try to give you as much time as I can."

Gabriel turned to them again and gave them an almost meek smile that never reached his eyes.

"Farewell, my friends..."

And shortly thereafter swords met each other...


	14. Chapter 14

_Archangel vs. Seraphim. _  
_Who will win this fight?_

_**Chapter 14**_

Clinking, the blades of the two angels crossed, when they met each other.

Brother fought against brother and it seemed as if neither of the two would show mercy in this fight.

Gabriel fought for the survival of his friends.  
Castiel fought for his revenge and his fallen brother.

Lucifer had apparently taught him everything he had collected on combat experience, because Castiel fought like there was no tomorrow and he never let his guard down, so Gabriel could strike back.

Barely the sword of the Seraphim cut through Gabriel's belly and he began a counterattack, but Castiel could easily dodge this attack. The young angel turned around and beat his big brother down with his wings.

Gabriel barely escaped the sword that dug into the ground next to him, as he had managed to quickly roll to the side. Without much hesitation he reached for his own angel blade.

Castiel screamed in pain as the blade cut through his lower leg and he quickly drew his sword from the ground and jumped back with a strong beat of his wings to get some distance between himself and his brother.

Gabriel was back on his feet shortly afterwards and he wiped the bit of blood from his mouth, which ran from a small wound he had sustained in his fall.

Without a word, he looked over at his brother, who, breathing heavily, pressed his hands to the wound of his leg and his eyes looked like they wanted to kill him with his ice cold gaze.

"Stop it!" Gabriel tried again and he stepped in Castiel's direction, but immediately his brother reached for his sword with one hand and tried clumsily to get to his feet again.

"I will only stop...if I have...why I came here!"

Gabriel narrowed his eyes and ran.

Too surprised to dodge the attack, Gabriel beat the younger angel to the ground.

He twisted his arm behind his back and held him down.

"It is enough Castiel! Stop it!" he growled again and he tried to control the immense anger in his voice.

He didn't want to hurt his little brother.

He had been the one who had raised him and cared for him.

He had always been there for him and that he would be now, no matter what would happen. And he certainly wouldn't lose his little baby brother to a monster like Lucifer was!

His grip on Castiel's wrists was reinforced when the Seraphim squirmed under him.

Painful sounds left his lips and his whole body trembled with the pain which rushed through his human vessel.

"Please Castiel...brother...stop. It is enough."

A growl and the injured body under Gabriel began to tense.

"No! It's enough when I have what I want!"

And the next moment a loud scream cut the air, as Gabriel was grabbed by an invisible power and was thrown far away from Castiel. His body hit one of the old cars, standing around them and his vision got dark as the fainting overcame him.

Castiel had trouble to stand upright.

The wound in his leg was deep, had almost reached his true form.

Incredible pain rushed through his body every time he moved is leg, but he ignored it as best as he could.

Coldly he looked at his brother lying there motionless.

He held his sword tightly in his hand.

So much that his knuckles turned white and he growled again as he stepped over to Gabriel and looked down at him.

He had dared to stand in his way.

And even worse because he had lied to him about his true origin, his true self. Gabriel had deceived him just like all the other angels he knew and who called themselves his brothers. They would all pay for it, which he was sure!

And he would make Gabriel pay for his actions.

As he stood over the Archangel, his gaze remained emotionless and ice cold.

There was nothing to be seen from the Castiel who he once was.

He was no longer the little angel who would do the dirty work for his brothers and his sisters.

No!

He was a proud warrior of God and one of the most powerful angels in the history of creation and he would let every individual feel that who dares to stand in his way.

And with Gabriel he would start...

Slowly he raised his mighty sword over the motionless body lying to his feet.

He would bring it to an end now!

With Gabriel's death, he would put a sign which his brothers and sisters wouldn't forget.

Yes, he would show them what it would mean to mess with a mighty Seraphim!

Castiel narrowed his eyes threateningly, as the hatred began to flicker in them.  
Like a flame that would devour everything and everyone.

He raised the sword, looked one last time at his brother's face.

But he would not give him mercy...no more, because it was too late for that now.

At the moment, the mighty sword whistled down on the Archangel, something came from the side and crashed into the Seraphim, forcing him to the ground.

The sword clanged, a few meters further away, to the ground and as Castiel opened his eyes, he looked at a very familiar face.

"That was a mistake Dean. You'll regret that..."


	15. Chapter 15

_The fight continues..._

_I hope it's not too much, because it happens a lot on this chapter ;)._

**_Chapter 15_**

With fury sparkling eyes Dean looked down at his best friend.

His muscles burned with the force with which he tried to keep Castiel's arms on the ground, so he could not attack, but he forgot the fact that Castiel was not a human but an angel of the Lord. He was so much more powerful than Dean could ever imagine...

However, he didn't want to give up.

He had never given up before and he wouldn't do it now, no matter how this situation would end!

He would not give up his best friend.

And he would also protect his little brother at all costs!

"I will not let you kill Gabriel and you won't get my brother either! You have to kill me first!"

Castiel kept his straight face, looked at him almost emotionless, but Dean could see the clear sparkle of sheer anger in his bright blue eyes all too well and it gave him the shivers. He had never seen Castiel like this before. He couldn't believe what a monster had become of the angel who stumbled always so clumsy through life and who had saved him from hell...

"Dean...let me go. Immediately."

The threat in this seemingly quiet words caused strong Goosebumps on Dean's body that made him shiver yet again, but he tried to control himself and not to let his fear taking control over him. Showing weakness would be a fatal mistake that could cost him his life in a situation like this. Castiel looked like he was ready for anything. Even to kill his best friend!

"No Castiel. I will not let you go. I will not allow it! I will not let you bring my brother to this monster!"

Now the angel narrowed his eyes and the hunter could see the anger in them.

"Watch your words Dean! Lucifer is my big brother and the only angel that I can trust."

"Did you hear your own words? What's wrong with you?! Lucifer is the devil! He will destroy this planet and he's using you as a puppet, don't you realize that? By bringing Sam to him, you seal the fate of my world!"

"_Your_ world Dean? Was it not my father, who gave you and all the other people this world? Look what you have done with this gift. You have destroyed it in your greed."

The Seraphim braced himself against the human.

"And my brother and I will ensure that you will pay for it. Lucifer has opened my eyes. All the time he was right. You are weak, power-hungry and you will never stop. No, you do go on and on until this wonderful world will be completely destroyed. No, I will not let you do that!"

Before Dean could react, he was pinned to the ground and two strong arms held him effortlessly down. Azure eyes sparkled almost hateful and it almost looked like they would glow and burn directly into his soul.

And then he felt it!

It started weakly, seemed to him almost as if this strange feeling arise inside his imagination, but it became stronger, became a twinge and then indescribable pain which was getting stronger and stronger by the second and it sank into his muscles, and even ate through his bones and made him cry out in pain, as he squirmed in agony under the angel, who looked at him emotionless and focused at the same time.

"C-Cas! P-please...AHHH!...CASTIEL! STOP IT!"

The pain subsided somewhat, so far, that Dean could breathe properly again and he could look into the angel's still emotionless face.

"Where is Sam?" the Seraph wanted to know and his voice sounded so dark and scary that a feeling crept through Dean's body, which he had not felt in a long time: The feeling of indescribable fear.

Nevertheless, he gathered all his courage and looked at him defiantly.

"Fuck you Cas!"

Castiel just needed to narrow his eyes and the torment started all over again.

Dean screamed out in pain, squirmed like a worm underneath him and tried to free his arms, but Cas held him easily in place and tortured him more and more with his grace.

"C-Cas…please…stop…"

Dean just went black, as the pain seemed to roll over him like a tidal wave and he spat blood, when it had reached his lungs and he arched his back, tried to free himself from the strong grip, but it was useless. Castiel had him right where he wanted him and he would not let him go. Not until he knew where Sam was hiding.

But Dean would never give him this information!

No!

He would rather die here and now, as to deliver his little brother to that...that monster!

Heavily he tried to look into the face of his best friend, searched his eyes, hoping to see a spark from the Castiel in them, which he had once been, but there was nothing to see except hatred.

The pain slowly reached his heart, and Dean felt how it started to flicker.

He reared up in the strong grip of his friend and shouted the pain out of himself, as it had now spread all over his heart and made him see stars.

The hunter could see out of the corner of his eyes how the Seraph took back his sword and raised it over his chest. His wings were spread out, his feathers bristled and in Castiel's eyes the human could see that he was ready for anything.

And then everything happened very quickly.

Something came rushing from the side and bounced again Castiel and threw him down from Dean. The human slumped against the ground, spitting blood again and clutched his chest which was still burning, but the pain had already become somewhat weaker, because the angel could no longer concentrate his mojo on him.

He needed only a glance to know what had happened:

Gabriel had come back to him, and had thrown himself against his brother.

The two angels were on their feet again and fought bitterly against each other.

They attacked each other with their swords, their wings and their heavenly angel forces.

Then they rose into the air and continued their fight there.

Dean couldn't take his eyes off this spectacle.

It looked majestic and fearsome at the same time.

Gabriel was still very weak and had to protect himself from the attacks of his brother, who attacked him again and again. The wound on his leg Castiel seemed not to feel anymore, because his movements were fluid and focused at the same time and here and there he landed a few hits that Gabriel brought to crying. Especially, when the mighty sword of the seraphim now sliced through his right upper arm and left a deep wound.

For a moment the Archangel was unfocused and Castiel wanted to use this weakness to his advantage and he got ready to drill his sword through his chest and kill him, but something, that struck him on the side of his head, let him stumble and Gabriel got the opportunity to quickly escape to the side before the sword could reach him at all.

Castiel turned his eyes to Dean, who had thrown him something hard against the head. The anger in his eyes was incredible and a low growl came from his throat as he now turned his full attention to the hunter.

Dean's eyes were paralyzed with fear when he saw how the eyes of the angel began to glow. And in his hand appeared a kind of energy ball, which shone in the same blue as his eyes.

Desperately he tried to crawl away, to get up, but he was too weak and he threatened repeatedly to faint. But bravely he forced himself to keep his eyes open, which had widened in shock, as Castiel threw the energy ball in his direction. But at the very last moment, Gabriel threw himself in front of him and was hit by the energy ball, and he fell to the ground a few meters away where he remained motionless onto the ground.

"Shit! GABRIEL!"

Dean tried to crawl to the Archangel, but he just couldn't. Panting, he fell back against the ground, turned around onto his back with his last strength, just to see how Castiel formed a second energy ball and aimed it at him.

"No, Cas..."

It was only a whisper which left the lips of the hunter, because to more he was no longer capable of and he closed his eyes and prepared himself for his imminent death.

"DEAN!"

Immediately, Dean's eyes opened again and he turned his head to the side.

Also Castiel turned his head to the voice, and his eyes began to sparkle even more when he saw Sam, who stood with a shocked expression in the doorway to Bobby's house.

"Sammy. No! Get out of here!" Dean gasped and the pain seemed to gain the upper hand yet again over his body, because he collapsed and writhed.

Sam was about to start running and help his brother, as his eyes wandered to Castiel, who gave him such a ferocious grin, that the young hunter got the shivers and before he could react, an unknown power forced him to his knees and shortly thereafter the world went black before his eyes and he fainted.

"SAM!"

Dean's eyes widened in shock and he looked back to Castiel.

He saw how the anger returned in the angel's eyes and Dean also looked at him with so much anger and despair at the same time, but the seraphim seemed not to care in the least, because his gaze was dark and full of hatred and he aimed the energy ball at the hunter yet again, ready to kill him.

"You fucking bastard!" Dean cried with the last bit of his remaining strength, as Cas threw the ball in his direction.

He shut his eyes immediately, prepared himself for the indescribable pain and subsequent death to come, but nothing came. No pain, no death, nothing!

When he opened his eyes again, the blow almost hit him when he could see the black smoke that had intercepted the ball and kept it away from him. Then he heard footsteps behind him and he turned his head around and his jaw dropped open as he had recognized the figure in the black suit.

"Crowley!"

The demon curled his lips into a sardonic smile as he stood behind him.

"Hello boys…"


	16. Chapter 16

_I am so sorry for the late update. I am kind of stuck in a writers-block when it comes to this fic.  
Hope this will go away soon..._

_Hope you like this chapter^^._

**Chapter 16**

"Crowley? What the hell are you doing here? And how did you find us?!"

The demon's grin widened.

"I was just in the neighborhood. And to be honest? Your winged buddy glows like an illuminated sign. I just had to take a look at this and it looks like you need my help."

"Pah! Why would you help us? You're a demon!"

"And your friend up there an angel who suffers some serious mental problems. Get what I mean?"

Dean wanted to say something, but a pain wave silenced him and he slumped back to the ground and spat blood. His eyes wandered from Crowley to Gabriel and Sam, who still lay on the ground motionless. Apparently they were still unconscious and Dean wished at that moment nothing more than to be unconscious as well. Or no, he'd love to wake up in his bed and find out that all of this was just a terrible nightmare, that Cas was back to normal and Crowley was gone and not in front of him and...protecting him?

A crossroad demon protecting a Winchester?

Something was horribly wrong here, but at the moment the hunter could not worry about it, because his eyes went back to said demon and widened when he saw how he stepped forward a few steps. He kept Castiel in his eyes which suddenly turned red.

"Castiel. Well you look. How much did your new outfit cost? Let me guess: A lot of blood, which you had to shed on your way."

The Seraphim turned his bright blue eyes to the demon and Crowley felt an all too human shiver running down his spine, but he tried his best to keep up the eye contact with the angel. His grin also remained, because he wanted to show no weakness.

"Get out of here demon! Take care of your souls and leave us alone, because this is none of your business!"

"Hear, hear. Pretty big words for such a small, naive angel as you are, don't you think so Cas?"

The Seraph narrowed his eyes threatening and a few seconds later they glowed again in that heavenly light, as they had done before when he had attacked Gabriel and Dean.

"Keep your sassy mouth shut! Don't you know to whom you're talking?!"

The grin disappeared from the face of the demon and his expression became serious.

"I think I know very well to whom I'm talking here. You're just a small angel that fell. Such as you are not new to me. My father is a fallen angel, remember? You don't scare me!"

"I'm not a fallen angel! My brother Lucifer...he has shown me what is really inside me!"

Again, this wide grin appeared on Crowley's face.

"What's inside you? Sounds interesting. What dirty things did you and your brother do when you were alone? Oh wait...I will rather not imagine this..."

"THAT'S ENOUGH NOW!"

As fast as the grin on Crowley's face had appeared, it disappeared just as quickly when he saw how Castiel formed one of his energy balls and fired it quickly in his direction. The demon managed to save himself to the side before the pulsating energy ball could hit him. Where it struck, it left a large and ugly burnt hole.

"Apparently my father taught you more than I initially thought..." the demon gasped, as he stood back to his feet only to avoid just the next attack.

Dean watched the spectacle silently and he tried to get to safety and to crawl to his brother, but his body was too weak and he could feel the faint stretched her icy hand after him and get him and only a few seconds later he could no longer fight it. His eyelids closed and his head hit the dirty ground just moments later when he fainted...

Meanwhile, Crowley was fighting against Castiel, who threw an energy ball after another on him, but slowly but surely the Seraphim's strength was almost exhausted. He was panting heavily and sweat had accumulated on the skin of his human Vessel and his wing beats, with which he continued to hold himself in the air, become weaker and weaker.

"Now look at that. Apparently you can't deal with your new powers. Did your brother may have forgotten to tell you that you should not overdo it?"

"Shut the hell up!"

"Oho, what angelic words leave your mouth there Cas..."

The eyes of the angel narrowed and began to glow even more, just like the rest of his body.

"I said: Shut up!"

Crowley's own eyes widened as he realized what the angel was doing.

He had to react quickly because if he didn't, he would crumble to ashes, because Castiel was about to show him his true form. He must have been very much weakened to do something like that.

But this shouldn't happen because Crowley responded faster than him and he pulled an old dagger from his pocket and threw it into Castiel's direction.

Only moments later the dagger cut precisely through two of Castiel's wings.

Black feathers flaked off the ground, followed by drops of blood trickled from the wounds.

A loud, shrill scream pierced the air, ate into Crowley's ear canal and the demon had to cover his ears to protect them at least a bit. But he was not the only one who went onto his knees. The dagger must have done its job very good because the angel crashed onto the floor just a few seconds later and slid a few feet away from the demon.

Crowley scrambled quickly to his feet and brushed the dust from his clothes and watched Castiel how he was trying clumsily to come back to his feet, but the wound on his wings, and the wound on his leg, which he had gotten from Gabriel, has weakened him so much that he was no longer able to stand up.

Again, this nasty grin appeared on the face of the demon and his eyes were red again when the angel met his gaze.

"Now you're really a fallen angel."

Castiel would have liked to deducted his skin for those words, but he was not even able to fly, let alone stand up. No matter how hard he tried, he was too weak. Helplessly, he had to watch how Crowley slowly approached him. His eyes searched his angel sword, but it stuck far away from him in the ground. He had no chance to reach it before the demon that came steady closer. But too close the demon seemed not come, because he held a corresponding safe distance and slowly began to walk around him, like a lion stalking its prey.

"Just look at you Cas. You may look like your brother Michael when he was army commander of the heavenly legions, but it is only the appearance which resembles him. In strength, experience and understanding you lack considerable."

Panting, the angel gave Crowley a piercing look.

"How do you know that my brother was a commander? You're just a pathetic demon. You are not old enough to know that!"

The demon grinned again.

"Every one of us knows the stories that are told about you heavenly idiots. And do you really think you know how old I really am my dear Castiel? Are you really that naive?"

"Hold your tongue Crowley!"

"Or what little angel? Are you going to kill me~?"

"You goddamn -"

"My, my Castiel. Who wants to cuss here? Not that Daddy will be angry at you..."

"Shut up Crowley!"

"You're not in the position to threaten me Castiel, don't forget that."

"If you want to kill me, then just do it!"

The grin in Crowley's face widened and he came to a halt as he stood before the angel.

"How could I kill a magnificent Seraphim? What would I think if I would do that?"

Castiel's eyes widened.

"How do you know what I am? No demon has ever seen a Seraphim!"

"You're partly right Cas. In real life, a demon has never seen a Seraphim. And if he would, he would have not been able to tell another demon, as he would have been killed most likely. But there are records of you in the books of the humans. There are only speculations about you, but these are very interesting. And now when I see you before me, then I can only agree with these books: Pretty and powerful."

"Shall I feel honored now?"

"That depends on Castiel."

"What do you mean?"

A sinister glint appeared in the eyes of the demon.

"My next words will honor you. I can assure you."

"Oh yes? And what are your next words?"

The sparkle in Crowley's eyes grew stronger and his grin widened.

"Team up with me."


	17. Chapter 17

_Again I am so sorry for the long wait.  
I hope you will like this chapter anyways and i myself hope that I will be able to write a bit faster on this fanfic from now on. _

**_Chapter 17_**

"What? Team up with you? Forget it!"

Castiel glared at his opponent and growled.

He could hardly believe his ears when he realized those words.

A proud and mighty Seraphim as he was should team up with a third-rate crossroad demon?

Crowley could wait for that for a long, long time!

"Think about it Castiel. What if we were one team? You and me against heaven and hell. Forget Michael and Lucifer. With my brain and your muscles we can destroy them all and form this world according to our fantasies."

Castiel narrowed his eyes and another deep, menacing growl came from his throat.

"You dare to want to incite me against my brother Lucifer? Thanks to him, I finally know what I really am and what has happened to me!"

"Oh yeah? Do you know? Do you think just because you've regained your strength, you can now do whatever you want? Lucifer has only given you the long cord. In truth you are just his little puppet."

"That's not true!"

"Isn't it? Then how do you explain to me the fact that the others have taken your memories?"

Again the demon grinned.

"Naomi has really done a good job with you; I have to give her that."

Castiel raised his eyebrow and tilted his head questioningly.

"Who is Naomi?"

Crowley threw his head back and laughed loudly, and this action alone seemed to stir up the fire of anger in Castiel's body even more. However, no matter how many times he tried to get up again, he fell back again and again and after two more attempts, he gave it up. The crossroad demon watched him quizzically. He still had that grin on his face, which didn't mean something good and his next words confirmed this as well.

"My goodness Cas, they must have washed your head very thoroughly when you do not even know the name of the angel who did this to you."

"W-what? What do you mean?!"

"Go and ask your brother. Apparently Lucifer haven't told you everything."

Again Crowley's eyes began to sparkle.

"And my offer still stands. Team up with me."

It seemed to be too much information's at once for Castiel, because he had the feeling that the world would spin before his eyes. Then he regained courage and tried to shove all of his questions and thoughts in the back of his mind and to banish them for a moment. If he wanted to survive, he couldn't lose his concentration now. His eyes got their radiant glow back, but for more he was not able to because his power reserves were almost completely consumed.

Crowley also knew that the Seraph was at the end and delight was sparkling in his eyes as he looked at him.

"Just look at you Cas. You are finished. Give up and join me. I can help you and I will not be like Lucifer."

"Stop it Crowley, it's enough!"

"Stop it? But Castiel. I haven't even started yet. But if you want to do this the hard way..."

The words were followed by a deep growl and the sound of claws digging into the sandy soil came to Castiel's ears. Another growl followed, and then another and another, until he stopped counting. His eyes were paralyzed with fear when he saw the hell hounds which began circling him slowly.

"Crowley?! What are you doing?!"

The grin faded from Crowley's face and his expression became cold and serious.

"If I can't have that power, then nobody should have it! Make up your mind for life or death Castiel. And decide quickly..."

The angel turned his eyes back to Crowley and looked at him blankly.

Then he seemed to recollect and a growl came from his throat now.

"It was you! You have lured me and Dean into this trap ad months ago, haven't you?! All of this has happened because of you!"

Crowley didn't answer, looked at him in silence and with a mocking glint in his eyes.

"Why Crowley? Why did you do that?"

The demon stepped over to him and knelt down in front of the Seraphim to look right into his face.

"You want to know why I did it? Because I wanted to kill you! I knew from the beginning what you are! And when Lucifer was out of the cage, it was only a matter of time before he started to look for you and wanted to pull you over to his side and I wanted to avoid that with a vengeance. If a Seraphim would work with the devil, heaven, earth and hell itself would burn. You would destroy us all and I will not let that happen! I will correct this mistake and kill you if you will not choose my side! You have the choice Castiel: life or death. Choose!"

He narrowed his eyes as the Seraph tried to get back to his feet, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not make it. The wounds robbed him of the power and the pain clouded his vision. The blade Crowley had used to cut through his wings had caused wounds that burned like pure fire and he felt as if this wound would weaken him the most.

"W-what kind of knife was that?! My wings...what have you done?" the angel gasped and he fell back into the dust and writhed in pain.

Foul breath stuck in his nose and he could already feel the hot breath of the hellhounds on his face as they came closer and closer.

Again, the demon grinned and with a volatile movement of his fingers, he let the dagger, which stuck behind Castiel in the ground, fly back into his hand. He gently ran his fingers across the bloodstained blade before his eyes turned back to the fallen angel.

"It is a very special knife. With it I would even be able to kill Michael."

Castiel's eyes were numb with shock.

"What? Where did you get it?!"

"As if I would tell you something like that! You can be glad that I did not immediately kill you with it! So, what's your answer? Do we have a deal or not? I have not got all day!"

The angel narrowed his eyes yet again and looked at him defiantly.

"Never!"

Crowley's look remained hard and cold.

"All right. What a shame. I really could have used someone like you on my side..."

Castiel closed his eyes and he was preparing himself for the end.

He heard the scrape off the claws on the floor as the hellhounds approached him. When he opened his eyes, he looked right into the face of a hellhound and the beast opened its throat and presented him his fangs that would drill into his throat any second.

But then suddenly the dog's eyes widened and a whimper came from his throat as blood ran from his eyes and he was thrown several meters away and crashed into one of the old bodies of a car.

"What the…?!"

Crowley's eyes widened and he quickly stepped back a few steps when a shadow appeared behind Castiel and came closer and closer.

"No one dares to do something like that to my little brother! Certainly not a wretched, demon as you are Crowley!"

Crowley narrowed his eyes to slits.

"Lucifer!"

The fallen angel stood with outstretched wings in front of his little brother to protect him. His eyes were stinging and cold and even some of the hellhounds took a few steps back from him.

"You want to harm my little brother? Then you must first pass me by!"

The demon swallowed hard and even took a few steps further back as Lucifer's eyes began to shine.

"I think it's better if I go now..."

In his mind he sent an order to his hellhounds and the beasts pounced on the fallen angel who cried out in anger, when one of the dogs bit in one of his magnificent snow-white wings and tugged at it. Another grabbed his leg, and yet another grabbed his arm with his fangs.

The Lord of Darkness briefly closed his eyes, focused and when he opened them again he sent his forces against the hounds and threw all of them away at once.

Some of them tore it up in the air, some others crashed into the bodies of old cars, and those who had survived ran away, whimpering.

When Lucifer had regained control over his powers and looked around, he stated that Crowley was gone. And not only that, but Sam, Dean, and even his brother Gabriel this miserable coward had taken with him.

But he could think about this later, because now Castiel was more important than anything else, because the young Seraphim was still writhing in pain on the floor and as Lucifer looked closer, his eyes fell immediately on the deep wounds he had sustained in battle. Especially the wounds on his leg and his wings looked bad and seemed to torment him particularly.

He carefully took the angel in his arms and stood up with him.

"Come on, little brother. I'll bring you back and take care of your wounds. And if you're better again, I want an explanation, why did you approached the Winchester brothers without my permission, do you understand me?!"

Castiel only whimpered and hid his face in shame in the chest of the fallen angel, who then wrapped himself in silence.

He spread his wings out, jumped into the air and only a little later they were gone...


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

The world was blurry before his eyes when he opened them.

He was no longer on Bobby's terrain, so much was clear.

The sound of a crackling fire sounded in his ears.

Gorgeous heat enveloped him and he was lying on something soft.

When he had managed to open his eyes and waited until his vision was clear again, he looked around. He was in a large room that looked like a giant living room. Antique furniture lined the walls, a fireplace, a few meters in front of him, from which the wonderful warmth came. A blanket lay on his body and when Dean wanted to sit up, the pain went through his body like a tidal wave and he fell right back into the pillows.

"Dean?"

The hunter opened his eyes again, when a familiar voice sounded in his ears, and when he turned his head and looked to the side, a big smile of joy and relief appeared on his face when he was facing Bobby who sat in his wheelchair not far away from him.

"Bobby? You're alive? Thank God."

"Don't thank God. You should thank me, little human."

Dean winced and his eyes widened slightly as he saw Crowley, who entered the living room along with his brother Sam.

His brother smiled facilitated, but in Dean's eyes was still the shock written when he realized where they were: In Crowley's house!

"Whatever you did to him Crowley, I'll -"

"Relax, Dean. I haven't harmed your brother or your spare Papa."

Bobby gave the demon a warning look, but Crowley only grinned.

"Besides if I would have wanted to harm them, I would have left them there. So, how about a little bit more gratitude?"

"Dean he's right. We are fine and he's telling the truth. He rescued us."

Dean tried again to sit up and this time he succeeded.

Although the pain moved back through his body, but the shock that he was under Crowley's roof, sat too deep that he could pay any attention to the pain.

Sam sat down next to him on the sofa and looked into his face.

Concern was reflected in his eyes. Who could have blamed him, after what had happened?

But then the panic in Dean's body came back when he remembered something.

"Gabriel. The Archangel. What happened to him? I have seen how Cas attacked him. Is he dead...?"

"Relax, Dean. He is not dead. He is lying next door and resting. He's still unconscious, but his wounds heal quickly and soon he will be back to his old self."

Crowley took a chair, pulled him close to the sofa and sat down.

"Now to you Dean. How are you? Your brother is doing better again. Cas has not done anything to him. He only made him pass out, but you and Gabriel...he made you two suffer pretty much. But I have to admit: For a human you really are a tough lad. I've seen what Castiel did to you."

"What does he mean Dean?" Sam wanted to know with a worried voice, and even Bobby looked at the hunter now with concern in his eyes.

"He has tortured him as I have never seen an angel torturing someone before. Whatever the good Cas did to you, it must have been really bad. As much as you have screamed..."

"Stop Crowley, that's enough!" Sam growled and he cast the demon a sharp look.

"Calm down Gigantor. I will stop."

Just for the nickname Sam could have punched him in the face, but the young hunter restrained himself and focused rather back at his brother.

"Why have you saved us Crowley?"

Silence.

The question came so quickly and surprisingly that Crowley was speechless for a short time. If he were honest, he didn't exactly know why he had saved the Winchesters, Bobby and the angel. Perhaps because he was afraid of Lucifer and these four idiots could be the only shield for him?

Of course, if he was doing it smart, he could use the Winchesters to lock the devil back into his cage and he could finally take Lucifer's place as the king of hell. Alone he had no chance against the fallen angel, but with the help of Sam, Dean, Bobby and an archangel his chances were definitely better than if he would fight alone against the king of hell.

Of course, he kept most of his sinister plans to himself and therefore limited only to the essentials.

"You can still be useful for me, so I saved you. With your help we can shove Lucifer's ass back into his cage and then we all go back to our daily routine. You hunt monsters, I create monsters. Everything is as it was before the apocalypse."

"Yes, except for the fact that you're a demon and we don't trust you and Cas is still out there. And you should know best how dangerous Cas is. How did you even manage to escape from him?"

"That's a very good question," Bobby said and he, Sam and Dean looked at the crossroad demon questioningly.

Crowley grimaced.

"You're asking a lot of questions, you know?"

"It is our right!" Dean hissed.

"Right? Something like this doesn't exist in my world, so don't expect such a thing from me. You want to know why I saved you? I've told you just a few moments ago. I want to lock Lucifer back into the cage, but a little demon like me can't do this all alone. And even if I did want to kill you, an angel would bring you back. Do you think I don't know what you two are?"

Now it was to Sam and Dean to throw the demon questioning looks.

"Oh man, you're dumber than you look! Dean, you're Michael's human vessel and you Sam, you're Lucifer's human vessel. Or have you two forgotten this?"

"I would like to forget it..." Sam muttered under his breath, and when he looked at his brother, he could see that he had to think the same thing.

"Well, but you can't and if you were smart you would watch your steps in the future. These heavenly bastards have their eyes everywhere and at any time. And as your friend Cas has apparently also changed sides, we have now one more problem."

"What does that mean?" Dean hissed and he managed to sit up.

Furious, he glared at Crowley, but the Demon seemed to be unimpressed by his dark looks.

"Do you want to kill Cas?! If that's what you want, then you can forget about that very quickly! If you want to kill him, you must kill me first!"

Crowley grimaced yet again.

"Stop making such a scene. You almost sound like if you two are married."

Dean flushed with anger and embarrassment at the same time.

How could the demon dare to talk to him like that?!

"You son of a bitch!"

"Calm down Dean. Don't be provoked by him," his brother tried to calm him down again, as he had laid his hand on his shoulder and tried again to push him back into the pillows.

"Listen to what your little brother says Dean. I play in a different league than the demons which you have encountered so far."

"Pah! You are a ridiculous demon like everyone else! I'm not afraid of you!"

Within a few seconds Crowley had disappeared from his chair and stood a little later just centimeters away from Dean's face. Furious, he glared at the human who returned his angry look.

"Don't you dare to think you knew what kind of demon I'm Dean. I'm warning you! You don't want to have me as your enemy!"

"I wanted to say the same thing to you!"

Sam and Bobby looked at each other and both hunters seemed to think the same thing at this moment. It was certainly not a good idea to provoke Crowley even more. Especially in times like these where the devil literally walked around the world and leaving death and destruction behind him. If they had a powerful demon as their enemy the chaos would be perfect.

Had the boys and Bobby known of Crowley's dark intentions, a retreat would have been the wisest decision...

"Maybe we should all calm down," Bobby tried desperately to ease the situation and it even seemed to have an effect, because Dean glared at Crowley one last time before he let himself fall back into the pillows and turned his face away from him.

Also Crowley himself now stepped back a few steps and sat back in his chair.

"Since we now have clarified that, we should think about a plan how to proceed now. Any ideas?"

The demon looked around and he was looking for an answer, but the three humans wrapped themselves in silence.

"I have almost thought that. All right. How about if I'll get us something to drink and then we begin to think about a suitable plan? And maybe we get heavenly help when our little angel next door comes back to life."

"Crowley's right guys. We need to figure out something, how we fight against Lucifer and Castiel. I suggest we all think about a good plan.

"Are you crazy Bobby?! You want to work with Crowley?!"

"What remains for us to have a choice? Or do you have a better idea Dean?!"

The hunter had nothing left to answer and he preferred to keep quiet.

Meanwhile Crowley stood up and went into the next room.

Even if Dean didn't like this situation at all, he had to accept the fact that they had to get the help of a demon now...


	19. Chapter 19

_I am sorry that it took me so long again for this update._

_Slowly I am losing my ideas for this fic._

_And I would appreciate feedback very much, thank you._

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**Chapter 19**

Gently he was placed into the cushion of a huge bed.

But he barely felt it thanks to the persistent pain that seemed to roll over him like a tidal wave. His wounds were burning like pure fire and he writhed and whimpered heartbreaking, but Lucifer just stood over him and gave him a hard and icy look.

The cries of pain of his little brother didn't seem to worry him, as well as the fact that the pain seemed to get stronger in his body. Castiel could writhe and whine as he wanted, Lucifer's heart, or what was left of it, wouldn't soften.

He had to learn a lesson and until he had not learned it and had admitted his mistake, the fallen angel wouldn't take the pain from him. Because said pain would be the one who would teach him to listen to the words of his big brother.

He had quietly slipped away and had fought against the Winchester brothers, and even against the demon Crowley.

Lucifer clenched his hands into fists as he thought of the crossroad demon and how he had dared to mess with his little brother. He had seen how he has commanded his hell hounds to kill the completely exhausted angel. And he had also heard the words with which he had tried to pull Castiel on his side. He had also seen Castiel had fought with Gabriel and how he had tortured Dean.

He had observed it silently from a safe distance, without even one soul had noticed something of it. He had seen Castiel had used his heavenly fire in the battle against his brother and the humans and even the demon, as he was injured and had fallen to the ground. But not once did Lucifer want to interfere.

Castiel thought he possesses enough power to fight against such opponents?

Then he should do it and he now had to deal with the consequences for his foolish behavior.

Now he lay there like a little heap of misery, whined and complained about the pain that gave him his wounds. Tears ran down his flushed cheeks and he squirmed under the pain that seemed to be getting worse.

He looked at Lucifer, begging him silently to help him, but he shouldn't get help.

At least not yet.

He had to learn a lesson!

"L-Lucifer...brother...please...help me!"

The fallen angel still ignored his whining and looked at him with an iron silence and a hard look.

Castiel slowly let his head fall back against the pillow, clung to the already bloody sheets and squeezed his eyes shut tightly as a new wave of pain shot through his body and already let him see stars.

He didn't know what was worse: the slowly spreading, stabbing pain that slowly wandered up his leg or the fiery pain that caused the throbbing wounds on his wings.

If Lucifer wouldn't do something about it, he would go crazy!

As if reading his thoughts, his brother moved slowly toward him and sat down at the foot of the bed. He grabbed the leg on which the long wound Gabriel had inflicted on him was and put it on his lap. Painfully slowly he pulled his thin boot from his foot, always kept doing eye contact with the whimpering angel who squirmed around in his bed and whined like a little baby!

When Castiel didn't return his gaze Lucifer turned his attention to the trembling leg, which now lay on his thighs. Blood stained his pants red but he didn't care for that. He eyed the wound from all sides and held the leg with one hand, so that the Seraphim couldn't pull his leg away from him. The wound was deep and was still bleeding heavily. If Castiel wouldn't be an angel but an ordinary human, he would have died long ago by the heavy loss of blood.

When he was finished with the examination of the wound, he let the leg go again and stood up, just to get a bowl of water and a rag. Castiel watched him out of one eye and managed to furrow his brows.

He didn't know what Lucifer was doing, why he wouldn't just heal him with his grace.

He probably did it just to humiliate him and show him his fault, by treating him like a human, cleaning his wounds like a human would do and let it heal by itself. Otherwise the Seraph couldn't explain this and he didn't care for that any longer, as the pain rushed through his body like a shock wave and made him howl.

"Stop acting like a baby! It's your own fault! I have told you to stay back and that you're not ready yet. But you didn't listen to my words. Now look what it has brought you: nothing but pain and nasty wounds I have to take care of!"

The words hit Castiel exactly where Lucifer had wanted it: In his heart.

In this moment he didn't feel like one of the most powerful angels of God.

No. At that moment he felt like a small, worthless, stupid young angel who couldn't do anything good. And deep inside he knew that Lucifer was right. It was his fault that he was now here and writhed in pain and crying like a little baby.

"I'm sorry...brother...so...sorry..." he whimpered softly, almost in a whisper, but his brother had understood the words.

Silently, the fallen angel sat down at the foot of the bed again, put the injured leg on his own and led the wet rag painfully slow over the deep wound. Castiel moaned loudly in pure pain and clawed into the bed sheets and squirmed against the pain.

"Feel the pain your brothers and sisters have given to you Castiel. Feel the betrayal and the lies that come along with this pain. They are just the beginning. There is still much, much worse to come."

Worse?

It couldn't get worse by now.

He was injured, weakened and his heavenly powers were almost completely consumed, as he had used his angel fire. How could there be any worse?

But he was careful not to say these words out loud.

Instead, he watched how Lucifer continued to clean his wound.

Gently the fallen angel put his hand on top of the wound and only moments later a warm light began to glow under his palm and Castiel could feel how the deep wound closed slowly under his touch. Gradually, the pain disappeared in his leg and his brother took away his hand again and when he wiped the rest of the blood from his leg, he could see that there was nothing left of the wound.

Then the older angel came to his side and sat next to him.

Silently Lucifer looked at the injured wing of his little brother.

The dagger had cut cleanly through two of them and had left ugly wounds.

Although the bleeding had subsided, but he could see how much Castiel still suffered from the pain of these wounds.

"Crowley will pay for this…"

It was only a whisper which left the lips of the king of hell and the words were addressed more to himself than addressed to Castiel, but the young Seraph had heard them anyways.

"What kind of weapon...he had used...to hurt me?"

The words came Castiel with another painful moan about the lips, as Lucifer had stretched out his hand and gently stroked his fingers over the wounds. The wings twitched under his touch, away from his hand and Castiel began to squirm again when the pain became stronger.

"It is an ancient weapon. I don't know where he got it, but we need to beware. We don't know what else of weapons this wretched demon has."

"He told me this dagger would be able to kill even Michael. Is that true?"

Lucifer nodded silently, which made Castiel shiver.

A demon of so much power that could even kill the strongest of all angels was a great danger for all of them.

"What should we do about it?"

Lucifer didn't answer immediately.

He also took care of the wounds on the night-black wings, put his hand on them and healed them slowly with his heavenly powers. These wounds were difficult to heal and it took a lot of concentration to do this. When he was finished, he looked at his work. The wounds were gone, only here and there some dried blood stuck on the black feathers. And the pain seemed to be gone as well.

"We will not do anything now. First of all you have to get back your strength and by that time you'll stay here. Do you understand me Castiel?"

The Seraph twitched under this unusually harsh tone of his brother and nodded his head in silence, not daring to look at the morning star.

"Good. I see: You understand..."

Carefully, Lucifer pulled the blanket from the body of the other angel.

He had him again stripped of his clothes and put him, naked as his father had created him, into his bed and covered him with a blanket. He knew that Castiel felt uncomfortable that he could see him like that and he didn't want to embarrass him even more. So he pulled the covers down only to his belly button and looked at his upper body, which was covered by small wounds and scratches. Here and there to some minor wounds already began to heal and half of the bruises he had suffered were also healed again.

"These wounds I will not heal. Their pain should remind you of your error Castiel."

The fallen angel leaned forward, clasped the face of the Seraphim with his hands and looked deep into his eyes.

"Do you understand why I'm doing this? What I want to teach you with that?"

A shy nod followed his words and Castiel was tempted again to turn away his head, but Lucifer gave him no chance, as he continued to hold his face.

"Say it!"

"Obedience. That is what you are teaching me brother. And I will never disobey you ever again..."

A small, dark smile crept onto the face of the older angel.

A smile that Castiel didn't see anymore, because he had shut his eyes closed.

He winced slightly as he felt soft lips on his forehead and he dared to open his eyes again.

"I don't want anything evil little brother. I want to protect you from the dangers out there. You are not ready yet and I think you have seen this."

Again a silent nod followed was Castiel's only answer.

"Good. Before I go and let you rest, I would like to ask you one question."

"What question?"

"What did Crowley want from you?"

The young Seraph hesitated for a moment, thought about whether he should tell his brother of Crowley's offer or not. But Lucifer would notice it for sure if he was lying. It was better just to tell him the truth instead of lying to him. That would only stir up his anger, and the whole thing would not end without further punishment for him.

"He...he offered to me to turn to his side and work with him. He tried to incite me against you. And he told me things..."

Lucifer's eyes had narrowed to slits as his brother's words had reached his mind.

And now he had the confirmation that he had not misheard the demon's words.

What was this small, miserable cross road demon thinking?!

"What things he had told you about?"

Again the light bringer leaned down very close to Castiel and looked deep into his eyes, which made the Seraphim shiver. He wanted to hear it from his mouth!

"He told me things about our brothers and sisters. He said that an angel named Naomi was responsible for my memory loss and because of her I don't know who I was. She should have done all of this to me. Do you know her?"

Silence and Castiel could see how the feathers of Lucifer's snow-white wings set up and a sinister glint appeared in his eyes.

"No...I don't know her."

A clear lie, but before Castiel could ask another question, the older angel stood up and put the blanket over his body again.

The Seraphim didn't understand why the name of this angel had caused such a strong reaction. He could see and almost feel the anger that seemed to burn in Lucifer, but he chose rather to keep his mouth shut and not go further into it.

At least not yet...

He had angered his big brother already enough...

"All right. You stay here and rest Castiel. Meanwhile, I'll take care of some unfinished business. Once you feel better again, I'll teach you how you can use your heavenly fire, without losing energy that quickly. We don't want that such as a disaster happens again, right?"

"No, brother..."

"Good. I see you later Castiel. And now: rest..."

And thus the fallen angel left the small room, leaving Castiel alone.

When Lucifer had closed the door behind him his feet brought him unerringly to the outside. He had been hiding in a place that lay hidden deep in a forest.

No angel and no demon would find this place, unless Lucifer himself showed them the way. He didn't trust many demons, and didn't like it to work with them. But times like this forced him to such things.

He had been in contact with one of his demons and ordered him to this place.

And now he stood before said demon who was shaking with fear when his father was standing before him.

The dark aura that surrounded him Agares noticed immediately, but he tried to stay calm. Lucifer might be his father, but he had heard a lot about the ruler of hell and of what he could do to demons.

"Agares, how nice that you could set it up."

Lucifer's voice dripped of ridicule and scorn and involuntarily Agares made a step backwards.

"You have called me father?"

"Yes, I did. I have a job for you."

Agares eyes turned black and he felt how the feeling of fear turned into pride.

His father had a job? And he needed his help?

A greater honor the demon could not imagine.

He bowed his head, thus showed how much respect he had before the fallen angel.

"What can I do for you, father?"

Lucifer looked at him with a twinkle in his eyes which couldn't mean anything good and he waited until Agares raised his head and looked at him again.

"I want you to keep an eye on Crowley for me. And when you have found him, let me know what his plans are. I want to know what he's up to."

Once again the demon lowered his head.

"Yes father, I understand."

Shortly afterwards, he was gone.

Lucifer paused briefly in the darkness that gave him the forest.

He thought about Crowley and about what he had told his brother Castiel.

He had not heard of Naomi for a very long time. Naturally, he was trapped in a cage. But all this came to an end now. He would bring Crowley to silence and then he would take care of Naomi. She probably had information about heaven Lucifer could use very well and he also wanted to squeeze the truth out of her and show Castiel how his brothers and sisters had betrayed him all these long years.

Oh yeah. This world would get to feel his wrath.

This war had just begun and this war would end bloody...


	20. Chapter 20

_Wow finally I managed to write a new chapter  
I am so sorry for the lack of updates guys. I have been stuck in a very bad writers-block.  
I hope I am going to write a bit faster now and hopefully I am going to finish this story soon^^._

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**Chapter 20**

Castiel knew nothing of the sinister plans of his brother.

No.

The young Seraph was still in his brother's bed and tried desperately to get some sleep. Angels usually required no sleep, but he had lost so much of his strength, that he simply could not keep his eyes open, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not fall sleep.

Too many thoughts swirled around in his head and robbed him of the much needed sleep, which would give him back his forces. At least a part of them...

Questions about questions were inside his brain, driving him almost insane.

All the information's he had received from Crowley and the secrecy of his brother were just too much for him. First he had to find out, that he was not the angel he had thought he would be all these millennia and then, a servant of hell, told him all these things, that he was just a puppet of his brothers and sisters. They had washed his brain and made him believe that he was a small ordinary angel and they had made him forget his true identity and had treated him like dirt.

Not to mention the humans he had met…

Dean had only called him if he had wanted something from him, needed his help or if he needed one who could do his dirty work for him.

He had served heaven and not humanity. His brothers and sisters had already made him understand that, when they had brutally dragged him back to heaven and had tortured him. But he had always returned to Dean and he always had been insulted by him and had let him push him around and for what?

He hadn't even received a tiny little "thank you" from him!

The Seraph clenched his hands into fists at these thoughts.

So hard, that his knuckles turned white.

He was sick of it to let himself push back and forth like an object and to do the dirty work for others. He was sick of the betrayal of his brothers, as well as the audacity of this demon Crowley, who had dared to attack and hurt him, one of the most powerful angels of heaven.

And he was sick of the secrecy of his big brother!

Lucifer was hiding something from him; that he had made abundantly clear when he had spoken about Naomi and his brother had reacted so strangely to the name of this angel.

And inevitably Crowley's words echoed in his head.

_Lucifer keeps you only on a long leash..._

Slowly these words made sense, because Lucifer didn't allow him to leave their hiding place and if he should do it anyways, he was punished, that he had experienced not less than half an hour before. It was the same situation as he had to endure for millennia. He received commands and if he should refuse to obey, then he was punished.

Like today…

And he was sick of it!

Was sick of it to bend like a slave to the will of his brother!

Was sick of it to do the dirty work for him or anyone else!

And he was sick of it, that he couldn't decide what he wanted to do and what not!

He had fallen from heaven the moment he had chosen the free will and slowly the feeling crept over him, that Lucifer wanted to take advantage of it.

Suddenly Crowley's words made sense.

But he couldn't trust this demon.

Crowley's words could seem flattering, but Castiel knew better, knew that the words of this demon were worse than poison. They crept into the consciousness of his victim and little by little, it fell to the demon, until it sold his soul to him at the end. While Castiel had no soul he could lose, but he had something else that Crowley wanted, namely his heavenly skills and the power of a Seraphim.

Shameful the angel closed his eyes and clung to his pillow, when he thought of Dean.

He thought back to the times, in which they had worked together.

And now, in that one moment, when everything threatened to collapse over his head, came over him the feeling of incredible remorse. He had accused Dean of using him, but he hadn't. He had helped him up, after he had fallen. He had been there for him, when his heavenly forces had almost left him and he was there, when he had changed. Of course, he had to protect his little brother, but Castiel had seen in his eyes that his friendship still meant a lot to him and that he would fight for it.

And what had he done?

He had almost killed him!

Was that the right way to show him his friendship?

A soft whimper came from the throat of the mighty angel and he squeezed his eyes shut, so much, that it must already hurt him.

But this pain was different, was stronger than anything else he had felt so far.

This pain was not physical. No. This pain came from the depths of his body.

His true body…

Never in his life Castiel had felt a feeling like this and now it was stronger and worse than anything he ever could have imagined.

The feeling that he had probably lost the best friend he ever had.

And he had betrayed not only his best friend.

No.

He had also betrayed his big brother, the Archangel Gabriel, had wounded him badly, and he had almost killed him in his lust for revenge.

Castiel had changed.

He had changed so much, that he didn't recognize himself anymore.

Lucifer had managed to awaken the beast in him.

A beast that had slept inside him for thousands of years and which was now finally be able to show its powers.

And Castiel was almost scared of himself…

He had none of that intended and in this one moment in which all of this was going through his head, he wanted nothing more than that all of this would have never happened. He wanted to wake up and realize that all of this was just a horrible nightmare. But it wasn't. No. It was the bitter reality and he had to face it alone now. Dean was not on his side. Sam and Bobby were not also on his side and he dared not to get in contact with Gabriel. Not after what had happened between them.

And besides, Lucifer would notice it, when he tried to contact another angel.

And from his father he couldn't expect any help either...

He had to do it by himself.

A shudder came over his battered body that went even up to his wing tips.

Just the thought of it to fight with Lucifer, the King of Hell, made him shiver real hard.

That was just ridiculous…

He almost burst out laughing, but then he thought better of it.

He was not an ordinary angel.

He was a Seraphim.

And he was able to even fight against Lucifer. The Fallen had already told him, but he had not believed him. But now he believed that, because his brother had taught him much in the last few weeks and showed him how he could keep his heavenly forces under control. While this was still quite difficult for him, he would take this hurdle too.

But he needed a plan and a way to get in contact with the Winchester brothers first.

And he had to continue to let Lucifer in the belief, that he would do anything for him what he asked of him, which would certainly not be easy, because inwardly a volcano was seething in Castiel, that was about to erupt. All the pent-up anger inside him threatening to engulf his body in a fire inferno, but he restrained himself.

First of all, he had to rest and then he would find a way to get in touch with Dean or Sam or perhaps even with Bobby.

He would take care that no other angel would notice him, certainly not his fallen brother.

And when the time was there, he would fight.

For his freedom.

And for Dean...


	21. Chapter 21

_Uhm...anyone here who's reading that story?_

_Since months I don't get any feedback, which saddens me, because I really put my heart into this story and it is very much hard work for me to translate every chapter from german into english and yet nobody seems to give a damn about this story..._

_Well but I keep updating in the hope somebody does one day..._

* * *

**Chapter 21**

Betrayal, disbelief, disappointment...

These were the first and the only things that went through Archangel Gabriel's head, when he opened his eyes and after hours of powerlessness, he was finally back and, still slightly dazed, he tried to look around in the room where he was now.

He was surrounded by antique furniture, but he just looked through them.

He was lying in a soft bed, shrouded by blankets and soft pillows, but he hardly felt it.

All he saw, was the treachery of his little brother.

All he felt, was the disbelief, which was accompanied by this betrayal.

And he felt the disappointment like a sword thrust. Powerful and painful...

He still couldn't understand what had happened, that Castiel had attacked him and that he put his brother Lucifer, this abomination, before any other angel, before his brothers, his sisters and even before his own father...

What had become of the little brother, whom he had raised so lovingly?

He didn't recognize him anymore; saw in him only what Lucifer was also:

A cold-hearted monster!

The thought of it caused a pain, worse than any blade and every gun in the world could have inflicted. It was a pain, as if a cold hand clutched his heart and squeezed it so firmly, that he thought it would burst in his chest. A pain, deep, persistent and incurable. A pain that would never pass away. A pain that had burned so deep in his innermost that he would have liked to reach for his Archangel sword and finish it, just to escape this pain...

"Gabriel?"

A voice came to his ears. It sounded blurred, as if it had come from far away, but he ignored it, staring with a blank look against the wall. He had the feeling that the world broke apart and at this moment he wanted nothing more, than it would bury him under the rubble of his destroyed world...

"Hey, angel? Can you hear us?"

Another voice. Deeper, more menacing sounding than the first, but he didn't care.

"Damnit Gabriel! Come back to us!"

A third voice. A voice that seemed strangely familiar to him...

"Come on, do something!"

"What shall I do in your opinion? Do I may look like a heavenly nurse? I am rather the complete opposite of it, don't you think?"

"Could you two bury your hatchet at least for a few minutes? We have other problems!"

Another familiar voice and slowly life went back into the golden eyes of the archangel and he turned his head towards the voice, trying to see something through the veil of his pain.

He could see four silhouettes. Three of them were standing, one of them was sitting next to his bed, looking at him, spoke soothingly to him, but nothing but pain flooded his body, drove him almost insane, deprived him of his will power and his strength, and it was not long, until the first tears made their way down his cheeks.

The pain of betrayal, disappointment...it was just too hard, too powerful, broke over him like a tidal wave, that destroyed everything in its path.

Once he had been a proud archangel, a messenger, a formidable person.

Then he had become a warrior, as the beast, Lucifer, had dared to fight against his father and his brothers and sisters. He had dared to deny the respect towards humanity and had dared to claim the throne of his father for himself. Lucifer made a warrior out of him. Made something out of him, what he never wanted to be and what never was his destiny.

And he took everything from him.

Even his little brother…

The last bit of happiness what he had left.

More tears ran down his cheeks, a sob broke away from the throat of the otherwise so cheerfully acting Trickster. But he was only a shadow of himself now. The wounds, he had suffered from the fight, didn't hurt nearly as much as his heart did.

"Please calm down Gabriel."

But he didn't calm down, sobbed more and more, louder and louder.

Hot tears made their way down his cheeks, his neck, and his torn clothes and wet the bed sheets. His body shook with pain and grief at the same time, his heart was beating so fast in his Vessels chest that he thought it would burst.

The voices, at first clearly heard, faded with each passing breath, until they just came from far, far away. But he no longer paid attention to it. In front of him flashed images. Images of a long forgotten battle. A battle, that was so terrible that hardly an angel dared to talk about it. Then he saw his brother in front of him, and next to him was Lucifer, the dragon, the snake, the traitor. His eyes were cold, expressionless, but Gabriel clearly felt the hatred and contempt in his eyes. He shuddered, tried to avert his eyes, but the images were in his head and he couldn't escape them.

Castiel drew his sword, and stared at him still with cold, dead eyes, as he approached him with slow steps. Lucifer didn't move, looked at the spectacle with a sardonic glint in his eyes and his lips curled into a sinister grin, when Castiel raised his sword, ready to ram it through his brother's body...

"Gabriel…"

He winced, was pulled out of his hallucinations when he felt a touch.

Slowly he turned his head, looked at his hand on which the hand of a human lay now, touched him gently, calmed him down and brought him back to reality. His vision became clearer as the tears stopped, his mind refocused on the here and now and it was not long, until his eyes met those of the human who was sitting next to his bed and held his hand so lovingly.

"Bobby? Is...that...you?" He managed to ask with difficulty and clearly you could hear how hard it was for him to speak.

"Yes Gabriel, it's me. Calm down. You are safe here…"

The words were spoken so softly, that Gabriel again got hot tears in his eyes.

But these tears were not filled with sadness. No. These tears were filled with happiness.

He was happy to see that Bobby was still alive, that his brother didn't kill him and when he turned his head, and his vision was clear enough again, his heart was filled with even more happiness and relief at the same time, when he looked right into the faces of Sam Dean.

And next to them, he could see another person.

A person who didn't look like a human at all…

A person, with a face that made him shiver, and he almost recoiled back, when he looked into the face of a demon. And it was not just any demon, which stood there. No. It was a demon, he already knew for a long time and he despised this demon with all his heart.

"Crowley..."

More didn't pass his lips; he was too weak to speak.

"Easy angel. I'm on your side and that of the humans."

If Gabriel would have been able to, he would have shown this scum, what would happen if you treated an archangel with so little respect as he had done it just seconds ago.

But he could do nothing more than to look at Crowley incredulous.

His mind had yet to realize, that he was in the presence of a demon. Moreover not a normal demon, because Crowley was more powerful than the ones he had tortured weeks ago, in order to get information about his little brother.

Crowley was a demon he could not lose sight of...

Bobby still held his hand gently and that alone was able to calm him down.

In the presence of the humans he felt safe, secure, protected.

Feelings that he had not felt since an eternity…

Feelings that seemed almost foreign to him...

"What do we do with him?" He heard Dean asked and Gabriel could see concern in the green eyes of the human.

"I think we give him a few more days, so that he can rest properly and get his strength back, what do you think?"

Sam earned approving nodding, even from Crowley, and Gabriel shivered when he thought about how much his little brother Castiel must have hurt him, to put him in such a state.

Whether he ever could forgive him?

He didn't know and he didn't want to start thinking about such a thing, because now it was more important that he came back to his strength, and then they would make a plan in how they would proceed against Castiel and Lucifer.

But Gabriel was afraid of the decision they would make, because he feared for his brother's life.

And he was afraid, that _he_ would be the one who would kill him...


	22. Chapter 22

_This chapter was much fun to write and let me tell you this:  
The next chapters are getting interesting ;)_

_And thank you very much for your feedback guys :D  
_

* * *

**Chapter 22**

For an angel, there was nothing better on earth than to spread his wings out and to rise into the air. To feel the wind gently brush through the feathers, to hear it whisper; that was what Castiel loved more than anything; what he had always loved.

For days his wounds had tied him to the bed and this had almost driven him mad.

Lucifer had forbidden him to leave their hideout, but he didn't care for that.

Oh no.

Nobody, not even the devil himself, could forbid an angel to take what he loved so much:

The boundless freedom.

Silently Castiel stood on the edge of a cliff. Under him rustled the sea and he could taste the salt in the air on his lips. The wind blew through his short hair and tickled the skin that hid among the pitch-black feathers of his wings.

It was a wonderful feeling, and he had missed it so much.

A smile graced his face and he closed his eyes, only listening to the whisper of the wind and getting lost in its gentle caresses. The white robe, which he wore, was whipped by the ongoing storm, made him look like a true warrior of God. He had spread his wings out and he relied only on his senses and enjoying the feeling of freedom that now awaited him.

His wounds had healed. His leg was much better now and he could fully use it again.

Only the wound on his wings had left ugly scars, you could still see, because the new feathers grew slow. But soon you would not even be able to see these wounds anymore.

But Castiel would never forget them, because the scar would remain, would remind him again and again on that fatal day.

On the day, on which a demon had dared to attack him...

The Seraph clenched his fists. So much that his nails cut into his palms, but more reactions came not from him. He had to learn to control the fire of anger in his body. Would he lose control of himself, he would have no chance. Neither against Crowley nor against Lucifer.

He had to hold on his plan.

He would rebel against Lucifer and thwart his plans and when he had to, he would fight against him. Whether he stood a chance against him in a fight, he didn't know and he didn't care. As long as he would be able to protect his human friends and his big brother Gabriel, he would fight...

When he opened his eyes again, melancholy was seen in his eyes.

He missed his friends and his brother like nothing else on his father's world.

He longed to be back to the old days.

Times, in which he had worked with the Winchester brothers.

Times, in which he had helped them in cases and times when he had just spent time with them.

And he longed for his brother, the last part of his family.

Lucifer was not his family. Earlier, when heaven knew no war and no suffering, Lucifer was his family. Just like Michael. But these two angels had moved too far away from him. Too far, as that Castiel could stretch out his hand to them and pull them back on the right path. No. Those days were over. Lucifer and Michael were mortal enemies and the younger of the two archangels had only used Castiel for his evil plans.

Just as the demon Crowley had tried it.

There was no one who he could trust, except Gabriel, Bobby and the Winchesters and precisely these people and this angel he had betrayed, tortured and almost killed in his madness.

Castiel could barely recognize himself anymore.

What had become of him?

What had Lucifer done to him?

He spoke of an angel, whom they called Naomi and the Fallen had told him that precisely this angel should be responsible for all of this. She had taken his memories of what he really was, what he has always been and what he would always be: A mighty Seraph.

An angel who protected the throne of God and spread the light of the Lord in this world!

No warrior...

But Lucifer had not acted better than this Naomi.

He had robbed him of his friends and his family, had told him things about them to stoke the anger against them. That was not he. He had never been like that and he would never be like that. He was not a traitor, a murderer...not a monster...

He would not allow Lucifer to walk around on earth and to continue to destroy this world. He had to hurry, had to find Bobby, Sam, Dean, or his brother Gabriel, before it would be too late, because once Lucifer would learn of his plans, he would be dead.

Lucifer was called Satan rightly, because he didn't even hesitate to kill his own brothers and sisters. Those with whom he had grown up; his family...

All of this didn't bother the morning star, meant nothing to him and Castiel doubted that it had ever meant something to him.

Even the love of his older brother Michael ran dry slowly, made place for the sheer hatred and these two angels would destroy God's creation in their madness.

No!

He couldn't let that happen!

He would take care of Lucifer and banish him back to hell where he belonged!

They had defeated the dragon once, so they would do it again. Only then, Michael had been at his side and with him an army of angels, who had thrown themselves into the war.

Those days were over and Castiel was now on his own. But he had forces that would even be able to defeat Michael and even the Devil when he learned how to use them. But for that he needed help, and he would not get the help from Lucifer. The fallen angel had not even taught him half of what really stuck in him. Not a bad move, because should Castiel rebel against him, he would not have enough strength to fight against him.

A growl rose in Castiel's throat, which shook his body and anger now sparkled in his azure eyes.

He would show Lucifer what happened when he messed with a Seraphim!

He was created to watch over the Father's throne and the father himself, to protect and to spread his love in this world, and with each new day, Castiel could feel how his Father's light grew stronger in him. Soon it would re-rays as beautiful as at the dawn of time.

And it would be enough to beat the devil and every demon in hell to flight. He just had to awake those powers. How he would do that, he didn't know. Not yet. But soon his time would come.

Soon, he would be back to his old self.

However, until this time had come, he still had much work to do.

But all of this moved slowly but surely in the rearmost portion of his brain, as another cool breeze brushed through his hair and feathers.

The wind called after him, whispered his name, and invited him to fly with him.

Something you didn't need to tell the angel twice.

Castiel spread his wings as far out as he could, took a deep breath and then he let himself fall forward.

For a moment he was enjoying the fresh sea breeze, the stormy wind that hit him, when he was in free fall. He opened his eyes, looked down into the surf, which came incessantly closer. A tingling sensation spread through his belly and he almost had the feeling that his body would come back to new life.

Just before he could fall into the raging sea, he beat vigorously with his six wings and ascended again.

In that one moment, he forgot everything that had happened.

There was no Lucifer, no Michael, no Crowley, no wounds and no apocalypse.

No, there was only him and the feeling of boundless freedom, as he let himself be carried by the wind, flew wild curves, playfully plowed through the water with his wingtips, all the while laughing like a young angel who had just learned how to fly.

There would never be a better feeling for him in this world and he wanted to take advantage of this moment as long as he could.

Only after that, he would continue the search for his friends.

And he hoped so much that he would find them…


	23. Chapter 23

_And the next chapter and I can tell you this: It's going to be interesting ^_~_

* * *

**Chapter 23**

Birdsong and the gentle rustling of the leaves, that were gently moved by the cool evening breeze was the only thing that Dean Winchester heard that evening.

About an hour ago, he hadn't endured all the fighting anymore and had disappeared from Crowley's house, to stretch his legs a bit in which an evening walk would be the best way to do so.

He couldn't stand these quarrels between the demon and the Archangel Gabriel anymore.

Since Gabriel was feeling better and he was able to get up again, he kept an eye on Crowley and just the hope to be able to see his little brother again, held the former messenger angel from killing the demon.

These two were like oil and water and Dean doubted that Gabriel would jump over his shadow and would accept the alliance between them and Crowley.

No one, neither he nor Sam nor Bobby, were fond of the idea to work with a demon. But there was no other choice right now and they had to deal with it and Gabriel had to accept it as well.

Once they had found Castiel, Dean would give Gabriel permission to kill Crowley.

A shudder came over the young man, when he was only thinking about Castiel.

The last meeting still hung heavy in his stomach and he didn't like to imagine how the next meeting would end up. He probably wouldn't be so lucky next time.

Cas had almost killed him, because he didn't tell him where Sam was hiding.

Only God knew what would happen if Cas would catch him again...

Dean didn't like to admit it, but he was afraid of Castiel.

That was no longer the angel who had grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him out of perdition.

No.

This angel was a monster...

Lucifer had awakened the beast in him and Dean got to feel what this beast was capable of and he doubted that this had been everything Cas could do.

He didn't want to find out about what this angel was able to do with his new found power.

Dean shook his head, tried to banish these thoughts from his brain.

It was such a beautiful evening and this evening he didn't want to waste with such dark thoughts.

Castiel was not there and therefore he couldn't harm him.

Inwardly, however, Dean wished that Cas was back.

He was his best friend...the best friend he had ever had, and it hurt him in the soul to let go of this friend.

No!

He couldn't do that!

Cas had done bad things, that he knew, but every one of them, he and his brother Sam, and even Bobby had already done a lot of shit in the past and always they had forgiven each other and Dean would be a really crappy friend, if he wouldn't forgive Castiel as well.

Although Castiel's mistakes had been fatal...he was still his friend...a part of his family and he would fight to ensure that he would get this part of his family back.

Damn!

Castiel was already more than a friend in his eyes.

Dean already saw a little brother in him…

He had to stop walking for a minute to be able to swallow the thick lump that had formed in his throat. Only now he was really aware, that he couldn't live without Castiel anymore, as without his own brother or Bobby.

Castiel had become a part of his family and family protected each other...

A rustling in the undergrowth yanked Dean out of his thoughts not very gently, and almost automatically his hand went to the pistol he kept hidden under his shirt.

Slowly he walked toward the source of the sound and with one fluid motion he aimed the gun. He felt how his hand began to shake and his heart began to race, as the adrenaline shot through his body.

A branch cracked and broke under the weight of his alleged assailant and Dean could feel sweat gathering on his forehead, slowly running into his eyes and burned like fire, but he ignored it. He was fully focused. Before him there was a rustling in a bush and the hunter put his finger on the trigger and tensed up.

He could hear how something moved quickly through the undergrowth and into his direction.

The footsteps came closer and closer...

As the thing burst out of the underbrush and ran towards him, a shot was released from his gun, which narrowly missed his "attacker". The animal, which had been a little squirrel, ran frantically past the hunter and disappeared on the nearest tree.

Dean needed a few seconds to get his heartbeat back under control. His heart was racing so much that he thought it would jump out of his chest at any moment. Fortunately, this didn't happen and he even managed to calm down. He quickly secured his gun and put it back in the waistband of his jeans.

With a long sigh, the young hunter slid down on a tree, until he was sitting in the grass.

He closed his eyes and tried to get the tension out of his body.

"Calm down Dean..." he reminded himself, and he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

For a few moments he sat there in total silence and didn't move, was one with the sounds of his surroundings. There he heard a cricket chirp, then he heard another bird singing and the sound of beating wings came to his ears.

A small smile graced Dean's lips as he continued to listen to the beating of wings.

It sounded like the wings of a mighty bird of prey, which was on the hunt for helpless prey.

The wing beats grew stronger and louder and the crowns of the trees over Dean's head began to move against the formidable power, when the wind whipped the treetops.

This was not a normal wind.

No. This wind was the result of enormous wings.

Wings that didn't belong to a bird on this planet...

Dean's pulse rose again, his heartbeat became faster and he could feel how the adrenaline was pumped through his body again, even before realization hit him.

When this happened, it was too late and the owner of those mighty wings broke through the treetops and the hunter risked a glance upwards and could only watch helplessly how he was moving in his direction. He wanted to scream, to get up and run away, but he couldn't. No sound came over his lips, and neither arms nor legs obey the commands of his brain.

His eyes widened, were terror-stricken, as _he_ landed just a few meters in front of him and stretched his black wings out.

Green eyes stared fearfully into bright blue eyes and the hunter felt how his body began to tremble with seemingly endless fear, when the angel took a step into his direction...


	24. Chapter 24

_And the next chapter and again many, many thanks for the kind reviews :)_  
_I appreciate them very, very much._

* * *

**Chapter 24**

Dean's body trembled with seemingly endless fear.

Sweat formed on his forehead, his heartbeat accelerated so much, that he thought it would burst any moment or pierce his ribs and jump out of his chest. The naked fear was to be seen in his eyes and he took a step back...and the angel one forward.

That couldn't be true!

No!

That had to be a nightmare...

"D-don't come closer!"

His voice trembled as strong as his body and he took another step backwards.

And again the angel took one step forward, ignoring his words.

"Damn Castiel! Are you deaf?! I said: Don't come closer!"

The angel in front of him didn't flinch, when he looked him straight in the eyes and this look alone was enough to fill Dean's body with incredible strong fear.

How the hell had Castiel found him here in this wasteland?

That couldn't be true…

"I understand you very well Dean."

The words sounded colder than ice and they gave the hunter a cold shiver down his spine.

In his mind he was already trying to find a way out of this situation, but the fear, that had infected his body like a parasite, made sure that he could no longer think clearly, and he could feel how slowly but surely the panic spread inside his trembling body.

"I will not go..."

The words of the angel didn't make it better for him.

The hunter almost got tears in his eyes.

He had never felt so much fear in his life before.

He didn't want to die.

Not here, not now…not like that!

Killed by the one he once called his best friend...

No!

That would not happen!

Never!

He would fight if he needed to, but he also knew that his chances for a victory in this fight would be zero percent. He wouldn't fight against a demon here. Oh No.

Here he would fight against one of heaven's worst weapons.

In recent weeks, Dean had read anything about angels he could. He knew what Castiel was, knew how dangerous and powerful he could be. Crowley had told him stories about this kind of angels and he had read books about angels and the more he had learned about the Seraphim, the stronger his fear had grown.

Seraphim were standing next to the throne of God and they carried the light of the Lord in their hearts. The hunter could not even imagine what kind of power this angel, who now stood before him, possessed.

"Castiel, please...Leave me alone..."

It was almost a whimper, which crept over Dean's lips.

He could not hide his fear and when the angel took another step toward him, Dean did the only thing that came to his mind in this situation: He drew his pistol and aimed it at the Seraph.

Castiel almost immediately stopped in his movements. His eyes remained cold and almost expressionless as he looked from the gun to Dean. But when Dean looked closer, he could see something in the blue eyes of the angel. What it was, he didn't know.

"You know that this weapon will not help you, Dean."

It was more a statement than a question, and Dean's neck hair rose at the deep sound of his voice.

"It's worth a try, you bastard!"

That one sentence seemed to have done it now, because now Dean could clearly see the change in the face of the Seraphim and again something sparkled in his eyes.

Something that looked like pain to him...

Castiel's gaze softened and emotions were stirring in his face, when he dared to do another step toward Dean. He could see how the human clutched the gun in his hands and put his finger on the trigger, ready to shoot if he should come too close.

"Dean, please...listen to me..."

"Listening to you? Why should I do that you miserable traitor?! Do you remember our last meeting? You almost killed me!"

Dean's fear was transformed slowly but surely into anger and even the angel noticed this.

Shameful the warrior lowered his head toward the ground, when he remembered what was long gone and had apparently ripped deeper wounds than he could have imagined.

He could understand Dean's anger, for it was he who had almost taken his life, just because the hunter had just tried to protect his little brother, his family, from him.

"Please...please Dean...forgive me...for everything I have done."

A scornful laugh broke away from Dean's throat.

"Forgive you? Sorry Castiel, but I can't! You wanted to take my brother from me, you have tried to kill me and Bobby and even your own brother! Do you think with a simple "I'm sorry Dean" all of this would be over and everyone is back to normal?! It will never be the same again, as it was before and that is all your fault!"

Every word hurt more than any sword thrust could have done.

And what made the whole thing so much worse was the fact that all of this was true.

Dean was right. Why should he forgive him, if he had committed so many mistakes?

But he couldn't and wouldn't let go of his best friend.

He had to try.

"At least listen to what I have to say. Please..."

"Why should I do that Castiel? Should I listen to more lies?! You better go back to your beloved brother Lucifer, and leave me alone! I don't know how you found me at all and I don't care! We're done here!"

As soon as Dean was lifted off of his feet and was thrown against the nearest tree, he couldn't look. The weapon was thrown out of his hand as if by magic, before he could use it and the hunter groaned from the pain that spread from his back into the rest of his body and his vision clouded for a short time.

"No Dean. We're not done here."

Castiel's disturbingly quiet voice came to his ears, and when he opened his eyes, he saw how the Seraph approached him slowly.

"Now we will talk to each other. Whether you like it or not! This is no longer in your hands..."


	25. Chapter 25

_I wanted to include this in the last chapter, but decided to split it in half, since it would be too long then.  
I can tell you this: It's going to get pretty interesting in the next chapter (and you are going to hate me for it XD)_

* * *

**Chapter 25**

"Damn it Castiel! Put me down! IMMEDIATELY!"

Dean struggled with all his might against the invisible force that held him captive and pressed against the tree, but he didn't manage to break free. He could barely move his head; everything else seemed to be frozen.

Castiel had him where he wanted him, and he was completely helpless and at the crazed angel's mercy.

Had he just never walked alone in this goddamned forest...

Helplessly, he had to watch how the Seraph stepped toward him slowly.

Dean felt how the fine hairs on his arms lined up and his eyes widened with fear.

Once again he tried to free himself from the invisible force, but no matter how hard he pushed himself against it, how hard he tried to fight back, he just couldn't get free.

"Calm down," he heard the almost gentle-sounding voice of the angel, but it scared him even more.

How could he calm down when such was a monster stood in front of him?

As if Castiel would read his mind, he grimaced and Dean could feel how the tremendous pressure, that kept his body pressed against the tree trunk, loosened a bit and he slowly slid down until he was sitting in the grass. But the grace still held him tightly. Apparently Castiel wanted to make sure, that he wouldn't run away from him.

The warrior of god almost laughed.

Just the thought of escaping an angel of the Lord was laughable.

Shaking his head, he banished that thought and focused on the hunter again, who shot him anxious glances. And these looks were hurting the Seraphim like nothing else on his father's world. He didn't want that Dean looked at him like that. They were friends, like brothers almost...and brothers didn't look at each other with fear in their eyes...

Slowly Castiel also sat down on the ground, right in front of Dean and the hunter would have flinched away, when his physical condition would have allowed that, as the Seraph stretched out his hand to him and put it gently on his chest.

"W-what are you doing Cas?"

A small smile played on the lips of the angel.

Cas.

So Dean called him by his nickname...they made progress...

Wordlessly the angel closed his eyes and concentrated himself.

He felt how Dean's muscles tensed under his touch, as he let some of his heavenly grace flow into the human's body. He caught a glimpse of the now wildly beating heart of the man. He felt irregularities in the heart rhythm and he knew that he was the reason for that. When he had tortured Dean, he had attacked his heart and he had nearly destroyed it in his bloodlust. Weeks had passed since the incident, but Dean had suffered permanent damage. Whether these were affecting him in recent weeks, Castiel didn't know. He just wanted to undo it now and he didn't hesitate to save with his grace.

He heard how Dean inhaled sharply, when his inner wounds were healed.

Here, a small crack closed inside his heart, which was responsible for the arrhythmia, here an opened rib was renewed and torn tendons were patched again.

The procedure was unpleasant and painful.

Castiel felt how Dean tried to fight against it, but a part of his grace held him, while the rest of it healed his body.

"It's almost over," he whispered softly, but the hunter had heard it, because he opened one of his eyes and looked at him, but the Seraph didn't look back, because he still had his eyes closed and concentrated to heal his wounds.

Dean didn't know how to see this change of mood of the other.

A few weeks ago Castiel would have killed him without mercy and now he was sitting here in front of him and healed his wounds?

Wounds that he had gotten from him!

And this thought alone fueled the anger in his heart like a fire inferno!

But he was too afraid of a renewed attack of the warrior and therefore he decided to remain silent.

Whatever Cas was doing to him right now felt good.

He could feel how his heart calmed down, felt how his lungs widened and let him breathe better again and he felt that even his heartbeat returned to normal. In recent weeks, he had problems with his heart. It didn't beat regularly and often the hunter had been afraid of just falling over and dying, so much it had hurt him in his chest. The fact that Castiel had been responsible for this, he had tried to ignore. He didn't want to think about it, that his former best friend had tried to kill him in such a cruel way...

"Dean?"

The Voice of the Seraphim tore him from his thoughts and the hunter raised his head and looked now in two steel blue eyes. He had not realized that the angel had taken his hand from his chest.

"How are you feeling?"

Oh, he really wanted to have an answer for that question?!

Dean remained silent; only glaring at Castiel.

The Angel's gaze was always cloudy and it seemed to get more and more desperate.

Dean didn't trust him and it shouldn't surprise him, after all he had done to him, Sam, Bobby and even his brother Gabriel. But Dean had suffered the most under his hand and he'd love to go back in time and undo it.

"You want to know how I feel?"

He winced as Dean's irritated voice came to his ears.

"Yes Dean."

The hunter narrowed his eyes.

"You've just seen how I feel, you bastard! And that's all your fault! Had you not been, then I'd feel good now! And I didn't want to start with your brother!" he hissed at him.

Gabriel?

He was still with the Winchesters?

That was a good sign for Cas and his face almost brightened again, wouldn't Dean keep talking and his next words were hurting him right where it hurt the most: right in his heart.

"You're a monster Castiel! Do you hear that?! A monster! You think you could make everything you've done better by healing me of the wounds that you have inflicted on me?! Do you think a "I'm sorry Dean" would make all this undone?! If you really think that, then you're even dumber than I have thought! You can't undo it! Never!"

"B-but Dean. Please..."

"No Castiel! No "please!" What did it do to me when I begged you for mercy, when you were torturing me? When you almost crushed my heart inside my chest huh?! Have you stopped when I begged you to?! No! You didn't! So you can shove your apology up your ass!"

Cas couldn't believe what he was hearing and the words were hurting him more than any weapon could have done.

"And now let me go! We're done here! You're just a monster Cas! Do you hear me? A monster! One of the many me and my brother hunt and kill and I'll tell you this: If you dare to come too close to Sam again, then I swear to your father, I'll kill you!"

And that gave Castiel the rest.

He fell back and Dean could feel how the invisible bonds released his body. Immediately he was back on his feet, ran to his gun, which lay only a few feet away in the grass, and aimed it again at the angel.

But Castiel hardly took notice.

He had to digest the words he had just heard and that had hit him hard.

When he raised his head and looked at Dean, he was now the one who shivered.

"Stay away from us Castiel! And never come back again. We're done with you! You are no longer one of us."

Then the hunter turned around and ran into the forest, away from him.

Above his head dark clouds covered the sun, reflected his mood perfectly and just a few moments later it started to rain.

And Castiel was still kneeling in the grass; his eyes blank and empty.

Now he had lost everything that had ever meant something to him.

Dean, Sam, Bobby and even his brother.

He had lost all of them.

And now he was all alone in this cruel world...


	26. Chapter 26

_And the next chapter and let me tell you this: It's going to get interesting in this chapter ;)_

_And again many, many thanks to all you kind people who take some moments to write me a review._

_I really, really appreciate this :)_

* * *

**Chapter 26**

Dean ran and ran and ran.

Ran until the muscles in his legs burned and until his lungs felt as if they were on fire.

He forced himself to keep running, didn't want to take a break. He wanted to run far away, just wanted to get away from this place, away from Castiel, but his body couldn't take it any longer, had reached the end of his strength, forcing the hunter to take a break. His heart was pounding relentlessly against his ribs, his lungs burned with every breath and his knees were shaking and felt like Jelly.

He couldn't believe what had just happened!

It should have been such a nice evening.

He just wanted to get away from Crowley, as he could no longer bear this eternal bickering between him and Gabriel. He had just wanted to escape to a quiet place where he was alone, where there were no demons or angels.

And then Castiel had found him...

The angel now knew where Dean was and the hunter doubted that he would give up easily. And that scared him. Yes. He was afraid of the Seraph, as he had never been afraid of anything before. Not even Lucifer could frighten him so much, as Castiel could, because he knew how strong the Seraphim was. The hunter had learned a lot about this kind of angel in the last weeks. He knew with what they would deal if Cas would lose the last bit of sense and Dean couldn't stop thinking about what a terrible mistake he had made, when he had threatened Cas, that he and his brother would hunt and kill him, if he would dare to get too close to them again.

Dean had no right to threaten this powerful angel and he knew how terrible this would end for all of them if Cas would get serious and attack them. He hoped so much that it would not come to an attack, because otherwise he could now take his gun and end it here and now, before his former best friend would do this for him.

Dean shook his head.

No.

Castiel would never do such a thing, because Dean knew him too well already.

Gabriel had told him and Sam a lot about his little brother and they knew themselves that Cas had a soft heart and that he would never ever do such a terrible thing.

But who knew what Lucifer had done to him and how much he was eaten up by hatred and how much was left of the clumsy angel he once was.

The hunter knew one thing for sure: He wouldn't stay here to figure that out, because Cas would certainly not give up easily, and probably he was already on the way to him.

The Winchester shuddered at the thought and he quickly started running again.

His heart was still racing in his chest, but this time the fatigue was not the reason.

He was afraid...

From far away rose a rumble of thunder, the air around him seemed to part under the mighty force of Mother Nature and the hunter flinched. Shortly after it began to rain, as dark clouds slid across the sun. The forest enveloped in darkness. Branches looked now like claws that wanted to reach out for him, moving in his direction, as the ever-increasing wind whipped them. His feet moved faster and faster over the muddy ground. He nearly tripped over a small branch that he had not seen and had almost landed in the mud, but he was able to keep his balance and just kept running.

Behind him he heard something rustling in the undergrowth, and he could feel how his pulse rose at the sound. Sweat stood out on his forehead, his limbs trembled; but not because of the cold...

"Damn Cas! I told you to leave me the hell alone!" he yelled into the darkness of the forest, and he kept on running.

A dark laugh rose from the depths of the forest, which made Dean shudder.

Goosebumps covered his body when he heard footsteps coming closer and closer.

The steps seemed to come from everywhere, or his mind played a trick on him.

He didn't know, didn't want to find out and he kept running.

But he didn't get far, because only fractions of a second later a figure appeared in front of him. He was dressed all in black and had his face turned away from him.

Just the sight let the adrenaline shoot through his veins and Dean didn't hesitate, grabbed his gun and aimed it at the figure, who blocked his way. He tried not to let his fear get the better of him, moved slowly towards the figure, but he felt how his knees trembled, heard his teeth chattering and could feel how the goosebumps on his body got stronger the closer he got.

That was not Castiel.

No, it was someone else...

"Whoever you are, I strongly advise you to disappear and to stop blocking my way!"

Dean tried to intimidate the stranger, but that didn't seem to work, because the other, which clearly was a young man in his thirties, didn't move a bit and seemed to continue to ignore him.

"Are you deaf man?! I said: Go away!"

Now at last the man turned his head toward him and Dean felt how his heart stopped beating briefly, when he looked into two black eyes that looked at him scornfully.

A demon!

Crap!

And he had taken no weapon that could have done something against a servant of hell!

A fatal mistake that could cost him his life here and now!

But it didn't look like the demon would attack him.

He just stood there and stared at him. His lips curled slowly into a diabolical grin, which gave Dean another shiver down his spine. The gun in his hand began to tremble, just like the rest of his body.

"You know that this weapon will not hurt me, don't you Dean?"

Dean's eyes widened.

"How do you know my name?"

As much as he tried, but he didn't managed to get his voice under control, which made the demon laugh.

"Who doesn't know the legendary Winchester brothers?" He sneered and he took a step toward Dean, who then took a step back.

"But when I look at you now, then you're anything but legendary. Look at you! You're afraid of me and fear is a sign of weakness! But I have expected nothing else from a puny little human like you Dean."

The words dripped with scorn and derision, but Dean was trying to stay calm and didn't let the demon know how afraid he was of him.

The grin of the demon widened, became dark and he took another step toward him.

"Look at you Dean. Without your heavenly Lover Boy you're nothing!"

The hunter gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes threateningly.

"Shut up!" he snarled, but this only earned him gleeful laughter.

"Looks like I hit a soft spot, huh? Give it up Dean. Castiel is now one of us. He will never come back to you. He will kill you and then deliver your brother to Lucifer. And there's nothing you can do about it. You're too weak, you miserable human!"

A shot broke away from the weapon in Dean's hand and the bullet pierced the left shoulder of the demon, who didn't even flinch. Slowly his grin disappeared from his lips and his eyes grew as dark as the deepest night and a low growl rose up in his throat.

"Actually I wanted to let you live and only tell Lucifer about my discoveries, but my plans have just changed!"

And before Dean could react in the slightest, he was being attacked.

The demon moved at a speed that Dean couldn't follow.

One minute he was standing a few meters away from him, then he suddenly disappeared, only to shortly thereafter appear behind him and to hit the back of his neck, which forced the hunter to the ground.

Dean didn't even make it to turn around, let alone get up, as the next blow hit him in his stomach and brought him back to the ground. He howled loudly when a foot kicked him in the ribs, then against his side and in the abdomen and the hunter doubled over in pain and spit blood.

"You're pathetic!" He heard the demon growl, when he bent down to him, grabbed him by the shoulders and flung him against the nearest tree. A loud crack filled the air, as one of Dean's ribs broke under the force of the impact. Dean's pained scream pierced the air, mingled with the gleeful laughter of the demon and the thunder above their heads and when he raised his head, he looked right into a pair of pitch-black eyes that looked down at him mockingly.

"Yes human, suffer from the pain I give you! It's going to be much, much worse!"

The hunter was grabbed by his throat and pushed against the tree.

He gasped and gripped the wrist of the servant of hell with his own and tried to kick him, but he was just too weak. The pain clouded his vision and it would not be long until he would lose his mind...or his life...

"So many of us died at the hands of a Winchester, and now the time has come to let you pay for it! Don't worry Dean. Your little brother will soon pay for what he did to us too..."

The hand around his throat squeezed more, also robbed him of even the last bit of oxygen, as his windpipe was pressed together. From an eye out Dean could see how the demon raised his free hand. Claws manifested where else were the fingers of a human being.

Claws, that would burrow deep into his flesh and killing him every second.

But this should not occur, since only a short time later it was the demon who screamed and he freed Dean from his iron grip, as an invisible force grabbed him and slung him away from the hunter. He bounced to the ground a few meters away from the human, where he tried to get back to his feet again, all the while snarling and hissing with pure rage.

He managed to sit up and his black eyes were terror-stricken when he looked into Dean's direction.

The hunter was no less surprised, because he was no longer alone.

"You?!" the demon growled and his eyes narrowed to slits.

"Traitor!" he growled and his voice was filled with his anger when he looked up at the angel, who had placed himself protectively in front of Dean. His wings were spread out to their full span and his eyes were glowing in a radiant light that blinded the demon so much that he had to look away.

"Don't you dare to touch him again!" Castiel snarled with his deep voice and he drew his sword that stuck in the scabbard, which was attached to his side.

"Otherwise, I'll kill you!"

Then he made himself ready to fight...


	27. Chapter 27

_Yep, I had a lot of (sadistic) fun with this chapter._  
_And let me tell you this: It's getting bloody (and I am sure you're going to me hate me...)__Again I would appreciate feedback very much.  
Oh and the demon in here came straight out of my (crazy) mind ;)._

* * *

**Chapter 27**

"I knew that we you couldn't trust you Castiel!" the demon snarled, as he had managed to get back to his feet.

"And I can't trust my brother, Agares," the Seraphim countered dryly.

"Oh yes? Let's see what Lucifer will say to that! Actually, I should just keep an eye on Crowley, but after what I've seen here, I'm sure that my father will have great interest in this information."

"It will not come that far, because you'll be dead before you even stir a muscle!"

"Oh really? Don't you dare to underestimate me angel! Lucifer had a good reason to hire me!"

Dean watched the spectacle in silence.

He still couldn't believe what was happening just before his eyes there.

Maybe it was the pain that made him hallucinate, because even Castiel suddenly took a step backwards, as the demon manifested into something, that Dean was forced to look away after only a few seconds.

Even Castiel's eyes widened, when he saw how the human seemed to dissolve in front of him and turned into a deadly beast.

The toes and the fingers of the human turned into claws, the backbone bent and deformed, so that the creature was forced to walk on all fours. The head was deformed so strongly that it looked like a defaced wolf. His mouth was full of razor-sharp fangs. A tail whipped excitedly back and forth, pointed ears were on top of his head, a deep rumbling came from the depths of his throat and on the demon's back spread two powerful, bat-like wings, which had smaller cracks in the skin here and there and it bore witness that Agares already had a few battles behind him. His body was covered with dark, ruffled fur, which was stained with the blood of his last victims.

The beast opened his throat and let his voices be heard, spread his wings out and stomped his feet on the ground, before he turned his gaze on the Seraphim.

Blazing red eyes met Azure eyes and Castiel shivered at the sight.

"Come little angel. Come and fight against me!"

And Agares sped off.

Directly into Castiel's direction, who was still shocked by the sight and reacted too late.

Dean watched helplessly how the demon attacked the angel and held him to the ground and only seconds later his putrid fangs bit down in one of the six wings of the Seraphim.

Castiel's pained cry cut through the air like a knife.

Birds fled from their nests and Dean just made it in time to cover his ears, before the voice of the angel was able to burst his eardrums. The hunter tried to get to safety, but he was too weak to get up at all. Every breath made his lungs feel like they were on fire and his broken rib gave him additional torment that drove him almost to tears.

But he couldn't give up now, and had to get to safety.

He just had to get out of range of the two combatants.

Meanwhile, Castiel squirmed like a worm under the wolf, which held him on the ground with his paws. His claws were digging into the back of the angel, pierced his flesh until his blood wetted the white robe he wore. The fangs still tore at his wings. Blood dripped to the ground, black feathers swirled in the air and Castiel screamed and screamed and screamed.

Agares didn't seem to be bothered by the agonizing screams of the angel.

Quite the contrary, because he seemed to fully enjoy his pain and therefore tore deeper wounds into his back and wings.

The pain that shot through Castiel's body was unbearable and he had tears in his eyes.

He tried to get up, but Agares pressed him back into the sodden ground and slammed his claws deeper into his flesh, the more he tried to get away from him.

When he opened his eyes, he saw the sword in front of him, which he had let fall onto the floor. His fingers closed around the hilt of the sword and the Seraphim gathered all his remaining strength and tried to turn around to ram his sword into Agares torso, but the wolf was faster than him. He let go of his wing and escaped to the side, as Castiel tried to hit him with his sword.

A scornful laugh came from the throat of the demon.

"Nice try angel, but you have to come up with something better!"

Right after that he jumped back onto the Seraphim and buried his teeth into his wrist.

Again the angel cried out and he let go of the sword and Agares gave it a kick with his hind leg to get it out of his reach. However, this time Castiel tried to fight back. He pulled on his arm, freed it from the wolf's fangs and with the remaining rest of his heavenly forces he hurled Agares against the nearest tree.

The Black Wolf now howled in turn, when the pain of the impact shot through his body, but that didn't seem to stop him for long, because it was not long until he tried to pounce on Castiel again, the moment he was back on his feet.

Blue sparkling eyes looked at Ruby eyes.

The Seraph had reached the end of his strength.

The last few weeks had demanded too much from him and he had not had enough time to recover properly. But he would not give up now.

No!

He would fight and he would protect Dean before this monster!

The wolf growled and bared his fangs, as he began to slowly walk around the angel.

His eyes burned into Castiel's, his wings were spread, his fur bristled and his claws dug into the ground in anticipation.

"Is that all, Castiel?" He growled in a low, menacing voice and his lips curled into a sardonic grin.

"I don't understand what Lucifer sees in you. You are weak and stupid! And your stupidity will be your death!"

The beast surged forward and rammed his head into Castiel stomach and the Seraph fell back onto the muddy ground with a painful groan.

"But before I kill you, I let you watch how I tear your human friend apart!"

Agares turned away from Castiel and his red eyes sparkled as they fixed Dean, who was still lying in the mud a few feet away from them. As he heard the baneful words of the demon the hunter snapped his eyes open and turned his head towards him, only to helplessly having to watch how the wolf slowly approached him. Hot Drool dripped already out of his mouth, mingled with the blood of the angel, as he licked his tongue over his lips in full anticipation of the upcoming feast.

"And I always thought you're a fearless hunter. Looks like I was wrong again, right Dean? I would smell your fear miles against the wind!"

Dean tried again to get back to his feet, but after just an attempt, the pain in his body grew so strong that he fell back with a painful moan.

He closed his eyes and he gave up internally.

There was nothing more he could do.

He had all abandoned.

Cas, Gabriel, Bobby...and his brother he would lose to Lucifer...

He winced hardly noticeably, as a paw was placed on his shoulder and turned him back on his back. The paw wandered downwards, slid under his clothes and scratched the skin on his stomach. The hunter gasped in pain, writhing under the claws of the wolf, who was watching him with much delight.

"As much as I love playing with you, but I have to go back to my father. Don't worry Dean, I'll make sure that it hurts!"

The paw pulled back, only to drill into his shoulders and held him on the ground.

Dean's eyes were terror-stricken when he had to watch helplessly as Agares opened his mouth and presented him his fangs. It would take only seconds before these fangs would dig into his throat and kill him.

But this shouldn't occur, because two strong arms wrapped around the body of the wolf, in the moment in which he was about to bite. Agares snarled and growled, beating wildly with his paws and wings, but he couldn't free himself.

"Leave him alone! It's me you want!" Castiel's growled into the wolf's ear.

Shortly thereafter the angel flung him away, but Agares was quickly back on his feet, turned around and roared with rage.

"I don't want just you Castiel! I want you both!"

The force with which Agares crashed into Castiel's body was so extreme, that the angel gasped, as the air was knocked out of his lungs and it was not long until he was back on the ground. This time the fangs of the demon bit down in his shoulder and his claws tore at his injured wing. So much that he almost ripped it off of the shoulder of the Seraphim. And again Castiel screamed in pain, but the demon still seemed not to mind his true voice. His eyes sparkled red, like jewels from the depths of hell, when he fell into a murderous frenzy and ripped Castiel's human Vessel apart.

The angel could barely keep his eyes open; he was already so weak. But before he could go unconscious he saw how again a figure bounced against the wolf and struck him away from him.

Dean had managed to banish his pain in the farthest corner of his mind and came back to his feet and threw himself against the wolf.

He could not watch how Cas died here in front of his eyes!

But more he couldn't do for his friend.

He had also reached the end of his strength and he didn't even fight back anymore, when Agares pushed him into the mud again and bared his teeth.

"Enough! DIE ALREADY!"

Halfheartedly Dean's fists tried to hit the head of the wolf, when he bent his mouth down to him and opened it slowly.

"We are waiting for you in hell Dean..."

To Agares amazement Dean's bloody lips curved into a small smile.

"And you will never ever enter this place again!"

Shortly thereafter, a sword blade pierced through the chest of the wolf.

The Hell Wolf opened his maw and bellowed his pain out of himself, as the blade was rotated and tore his organs apart.

"For you there is no place where you can go Agares," growled a deep voice in his ear and then the sword was pulled out of his body and the Wolf went limp. His eyes lost their gleam and they slowly closed and his body sank onto the human's.

And then he was dead...


	28. Chapter 28

_I am sorry that I haven't post an update for such a long time._  
_I am pretty depressed at the moment and I wasn't in the mood for anything in the past days._  
_But now I feel a bit better and...well life must go on, right?_

_But I think this chapter mirrors my current feelings pretty well *sighs*_

* * *

**Chapter 28**

An eerie silence had settled over the forest, which was only broken by the pounding rain.

The rain softened the ground ever more, transformed him into a muddy mass that mingled with blood. Only slowly the rain washed the traces of the past battle away.

Dean ignored it.

He was still lying in the mud and his eyes were directed toward the sky.

Dark clouds obstructed his view of the sun; rain wetted his blood-streaked face.

His body ached with every breath and his limbs were heavy as lead.

The dead body of the wolf still lay on his own body, but Dean seemed to not notice it.

He turned his head slowly to the side, staring at the lifeless body to his right.

"Cas ..."

It was just a whisper that left his lips.

Beside him lay the Seraphim.

He lay with his back to him.

His wings were soaked with blood and one of his six wings had suffered serious injuries and looked as if it would fall off of his back any moment.

Shortly after the Battle, the Seraph had collapsed and Dean already feared the worst when he saw his best friend lying in his own blood in front of him.

The hunter managed to stretch out one of his hands and touched one of the wings with his cold fingers. 

"Cas...get up..."

His voice got little louder and his fingers closed around the feathers and pulled on them, but the angel still didn't move.

Dean felt hot tears that gathered in his eyes and he was trying to blink them away.

Castiel was his best friend and he would always be, no matter what he had done.

He had just saved his life and the hunter couldn't shake off the feeling that he had thereby paid with his own life. The Seraphim didn't move a bit and otherwise his body showed no sign of life.

"No...Cas...please..."

The Winchester gathered all his remaining strength and was able to pull himself out from under the dead wolf and scooted over to Castiel. He clutched at his robe and leaned over the angel, that he could see his face.

Castiel's eyes were closed, blood was dripping out of his mouth and the rest of his body was limp, seemed lifeless.

"You bastard! Don't do this to me!"

Dean's voice had become louder and he beat the Angel halfheartedly against the cheek, tried to wake him up, but nothing was working. More and more tears now ran down his bloody cheeks and the pain of having perhaps lost his best friend hurt him so much in his chest that he thought he would die here and now.

He was desperate and didn't know what he should do now.

His hand rested on the chest of the other and felt after his heartbeat.

Nothing!

His human Vessel seemed to be as dead as his real body.

But Castiel was an angel!

Damn it!

He was a Seraphim!

He couldn't die now!

Not like that…

Then the hunter did the only thing that came to his mind:

He turned Castiel on his back, careful not to make things worse when he touched his injured wing, and began to massage his heart. He even overcame his shame, pressed his mouth over Castiel's and he gave him a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, all the while massaging his heart, as he pulled away for some seconds.

He didn't know whether all this would help him, but he didn't know what else he should do right now. He couldn't just sit here and do nothing!

Cas was his friend and that he owed him!

"Come on, Cas!"

Once again he gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

"You goddamn bastard! Open your eyes!"

His hands pressed rhythmically into his chest, trying to bring the heart back to beating, but still nothing happened.

Castiel's eyes remain closed...

After three further attempts the hunter stopped and dropped beside him.

His eyes were red and filled with sadness and he let his tears flow unashamedly now.

The loss hurt like nothing else in this world and at this moment the young man wanted nothing more than that all of this was a terrible nightmare, that he opened his eyes every moment and realized that none of this was real.

But it was real.

Castiel had sacrificed himself for him and now he lay there and Dean couldn't do anything to help him.

A long time Dean sat there in silence; his face turned to the sky and he was caught up in his thoughts.

His tears had long dried up, and his eyes had become expressionless.

He felt nothing.

Neither pain, nor sorrow, nor hatred...

His eyes turned to Castiel and he had to gather his remaining self-control, in order not to lose it again.

The sight hurt so much in his heart and again hot tears gathered in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Cas...I wish I could have done more for you..."

Then the eyes of the hunter went back to the sky.

"Is that what you want?"

His voice grew louder and then the tears began to flow yet again.

"Do you want that your sons and daughters kill each other?! If that's what you want then you have done a good job! Castiel is dead! And it seems you don't even care you bloody bastard!"

The last words were lost in sobs and Dean buried his face in his hands and let the sadness out of himself.

Whether God had heard him or not, he didn't care.

God didn't care for any of them.

Not even for his own sons and daughters...

The hunter was crying and sobbing, and he not even realized that the rain had subsided and that a solitary sunbeam broke through the clouds.

He kept his face hidden in his hands and let the tears flow.

That in this very moment two bright blue eyes opened, he didn't realize.

When something touched his arm, the hunter nearly jumped out of his skin and he immediately jerked his head up and looked to the side...and more tears made their way down his cheeks.

But this time they were not filled with sadness...

"Dean..."

He couldn't believe it.

Not even when Castiel gave him a weak smile and when his eyes opened wider.

"You're alive..." Dean whispered softly, but the angel had nevertheless understood him.

"Yes...I am alive..."

God had thus nevertheless listened...


	29. Chapter 29

_Aaaaand I finally finished translating the next chapter.  
Hope there aren't too many mistakes, since this one was a pain in the butt to translate._

_And many, many thank you's for all the kind Reviews :D_

* * *

**Chapter 29**

Still the storm raged.

Rain lashed the treetops.

The day had given way to the evening and here and there a lightning lit the onrushing night and was reflected in Sam's eyes.

The young hunter sat silently on the porch of Crowley's house, staring into the distance.

He listened to the storm, watching the power of nature in the form of flashes of lightning and not even the rain seemed to bother him.

No.

He was thinking of his brother.

Dean had said he wanted to be a little bit for himself and he wanted to go out for a little evening walk.

This had been two hours ago and the hunter was still not back and slowly Sam started to worry about him.

From inside the huge house he heard Gabriel and Crowley.

These two quarreled like two little kids, and slowly but surely it became unbearable.

To put an archangel and a demon together in one house had not been a particularly wise idea, but Sam couldn't do anything about it.

What should he do?

These two wouldn't listen to him so or so.

Therefore he had retired on the porch, to have at least a little bit of peace before these two fighting cocks.

How could Bobby stand this?

As if on cue Sam heard the squeaking of the wheels, which were located at Bobby's wheelchair and a few moments later the older hunter was sitting next to him.

"Won't you come in Sam? The storm's getting worse."

"No Bobby. I'm waiting for Dean."

"Are you still worried about him?"

The younger Winchester nodded silently with his head.

"Sam, look at me."

Only reluctantly Sam turned his head to the side.

"Dean is a good hunter and he can take care of himself. He's fine, trust me. We should rather worry about the two in there. These two drive me crazy with their fighting!"

The words made Sam's lips twitch upwards and he quickly turned his head away from Bobby to hide his grin from him.

Good to know that he wasn't the only one who had enough of these fighting cocks...

But his good mood vanished quickly, as his thoughts went back to his brother.

What if something had happened to him and what if he now lay injured in the woods and no one came to help him?

In the last half hour he had tried to call Dean on his phone.

He had repeatedly called him and sent him several messages, but the hunter didn't respond, which meant that Sam worried even more about his big brother.

"I hope you are fine Dean..." he muttered to himself and his voice went under into another thunder...

Inside of Crowley's house there was pure chaos, because the demon and the archangel still bickered, whenever the two of them met in the huge mansion.

And this happened way too often for Crowley's taste...

Now he knew why Sam had left the house earlier and why Bobby had followed him shortly afterwards.

This eternal quarreling was getting on the crossroads demon's own nerves and Gabriel didn't make it better with his provocations; rather the contrary: it became a lot worse!

"Do you think in all seriousness just because you're an archangel you can do whatever you want here?! You're still in _my_ house!" Crowley hissed at the archangel for what felt like the hundredth time that evening, but still Gabriel was unimpressed against the pitiful threats of the other.

Crowley was far below his rank and he loved to remind him of that over and over again.

He hated demons to the death, and even more he hated _this_ demon!

"I'm not voluntarily in your house Crowley! You've dragged me and the others here!"

"Without me you would be dead by now! Is that your way of thanking me?"

"No one forced you to save us!"

"You should be glad that I did! I could have left you and your human friends with your crazy brother! He would have made minced meat out of you four morons!"

Gabriel's carotid artery began to throb dangerously, because of the words and his head became red due to seemingly endless rage.

Oh how he would have loved to kick Crowley's ass right here and right now and send him back to hell, but he couldn't.

No matter how much he would hate it, but he agreed with the demon: they all owed their lives to him, and they were in his debt.

Crowley seemed to know that too what the wide grin on his face confirmed.

"I can see it: We understand each other, little angel."

And that was the straw that broke the camel's back.

As quickly as Crowley was pressed against the wall, he couldn't look and he could only gasp helplessly as an arm pressed firmly into his throat and robbed him of the air. Not that he had to breathe like a human, but it was still an uncomfortable feeling.

"Don't you dare to talk to me like that! I'm warning you, Crowley! When all this is over then you'd better pray that I don't get my hands on you!"

Despite the agony, the lips of the demon twisted into a wide grin and his eyes turned red, as they seemed to mock Gabriel.

"You think you're so strong and all-knowing my dear Gabriel, but I can tell you what you are: a weakling! You ran away when everything is gone down the drain and you've hidden behind the facade of a Trickster before Daddy and the rest of your family. You were never a great fighter and you aren't one even now, because you can threaten me as much as you want. I know what really lies behind this facade: A fearful, little angel..."

With an angry growl Gabriel drew his Archangel blade, ready to kill Crowley, but before even one muscle in his arm could move, Sam's voice interrupted his thoughts of murder when he shouted a loud "Gabriel! Come here! Quickly!".

The voice of the young Winchester sounded so full of panic and fear at the same time that every alarm bell inside of Gabriel started ringing. Once again, his golden eyes turned to Crowley and he looked at him with so much disgust and hatred that even the demon shuddered under his gaze and it managed to wipe the smug grin from his face, before he put his sword back and let go of the demon.

"We're not finished here Crowley. If I only once get the feeling that you betray us, then I'll kill you!"

After that, God's messenger turned around and disappeared from the living room.

"We will see about that little angel..." Crowley growled when he stood up on his feet again and rubbed over his sore throat.

Outside it was still raining badly and thunder filled the air, which was accompanied by the glare of bright lightnings.

Gabriel met Sam and Bobby on the porch and the two men stared past him and in their eyes was written the sheer shock, when they fixed a certain point in front of the house.

"Sam? Bobby? What's wrong with you? What happened?"

Gabriel was now seriously worried about these two, but before he could ask them again, Sam grabbed his chin and turned his head in the direction in which he and Bobby already stared the whole time, and even Gabriel's eyes widened at the sight in front of him.

"This can't be real…"

In front of them was Dean.

His clothes were torn and soaked with blood.

Wounds littered his body and he just seemed to have a lot of pain from just breathing.

And he was not alone…

To his left stood a young man, who looked not better than he himself.

With one exception: Six pitch-black wings were on his back, but they hung limply on the sides of his body and were also stained with blood, just like the rest of his body. He hardly seemed to be conscious, because his eyes were almost completely closed and his breathing was short and fast.

"Dean!"

Dean slowly lifted his head and he looked over to his brother, who was still looking at him with wide eyes.

"Sammy...we...we need help..."

More he couldn't get out, before he closed his eyes and went unconscious to the ground, dragging Castiel with him in the process...


	30. Chapter 30

_This is more of a filler chapter, since I didn't know where to put this part to be honest.  
But I hope you will like it anyways :3  
_

* * *

**Chapter 30**

Still lightning flashed through the clouds and the night went briefly into day.

The sun had set hours ago and in the forest it had become quiet.

Only the patter of the rain and the thunder, high up in the sky, were the only things that broke the almost eerie silence of the forest. No animal could be heard, only steps that made their way slowly through the mud.

A lone figure walked through the forest in this stormy night.

He seemed to be not bothered by the rain that whipped his face mercilessly.

Lucifer didn't mind the rain which beat down on his body, or the storm that pushed against him. His eyes searched the surrounding area, in the hope to finally find what he was looking for so long.

For days he had heard no sign of life from Agares and even if he would never admit it openly, but he was worried about him. Not because he liked Agares, but he was worried that the unique capabilities of the demon may have been lost, because he was not a normal demon. He had chosen Agares for a good reason, because he was cold-hearted and merciless. Exactly what he expected from his subordinates, but rarely got as many chose to flee in fear when they were told that they had to take care of an angel of God. They feared angels, even if their father was one of them himself. For Lucifer it was something else, because only his appearance still showed that he once had been an angel of God. The most beautiful of all the angels that God had created and still many demons didn't fear him, but admired him.

And many of these idiotic demons didn't do their job properly, because they were too scared and disappointed him over and over again.

But Agares had not let him down in recent weeks, since he had always kept him up to date and always supplied him with the latest information about Crowley, the Winchesters, Bobby and the Archangel Gabriel, without showing fear. But at some point, the contact was broken and Lucifer couldn't shake off the feeling that something had happened to him, because even his little brother Castiel had disappeared for days.

The Light bringer gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as he thought of Castiel.

Why did this little runt disappear, if he had clearly forbidden him to leave their hideout?!

He would have to teach him some respect, when he had found him...

But Agares was more important now, because he needed the demon and his abilities to continue to keep an eye on Crowley and the Winchesters. He wanted to avoid that they also interfered with his plans. His big brother Michael gave him enough to worry about, not to mention Castiel.

He didn't need more problems now!

It was about time for him to get Sam's body, so that all this would finally come to an end. With his human Vessel nothing would happen to him and he would kill Michael and even his father and take the throne for himself.

He had already tried it.

Back then, in the Great War that had let heaven burst into flames.

Michael had defeated him and banished him along with all the other angels, who had been on his side, to hell. He had spent millennia in this miserable cage, in which they had locked him after he had turned Lilith into a demon to taunt his father.

But now he was free and he had a whole army of demons behind him, who would throw themselves into battle, if he would command them.

They would burn his father's world!

However, until it was time, there was still some work to do.

The storm seemed to be getting stronger, as well as the persistent rain that had soaked through his clothes.

Another flash of lightning lit up the dark forest for a second and finally Lucifer found what he was looking for...

There, a few feet away from him, lay a creature in the mud and didn't move.

Immediately Lucifer was by Agares side and he looked at the demonic wolf with an expressionless face.

There was blood everywhere, Agares eyes were closed, his mouth was open, baring his fangs. Blood, so much blood everywhere and a deep wound gaped in the chest of the wolf.

A deadly wound and Lucifer knew that Agares eyes would never open again.

The demon was dead.

And when he looked to the side and saw the sword, which was lying there in the mud, just a few meters away from Agares, Lucifer knew who was responsible for the death of the demon.

"Castiel!" he growled in a low, menacing-sounding voice and his eyes began to glow in sheer anger at the betrayal of the Seraphim. His wings manifested and he spread them out and in his rage the snow-white feathers stood up and he clenched his hands into fists, so strong that his knuckles turned white.

"You miserable traitor!"

The mighty Archangel rose to his legs and in his rage he would have loved to burn this forest, but he reined himself. He would wait until he would find Castiel.

"You'll pay with your life for that, little brother..."


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Gabriel would certainly never forget the shocking expression on Crowley's face, when he had to watch as he and Sam brought Castiel and Dean past him toward the bedroom.

A bit spiteful he had already been, when he could see the fear that threatened to spread throughout the body of the demon, and he had almost felt immensely gratified to know how much Crowley feared Castiel.

The crossroad demon didn't like this situation.

Not at all!

"Are you out of your senses?!" he had pressed out behind clenched teeth and a shudder went through his body, at the mere idea of what would happen if Castiel would wake up and see him.

The Seraph would certainly have not forgotten to whom he owed those ugly scars on his wings...

But Gabriel, Sam and Bobby didn't care at all for the opinion of the demon.

The only thing that mattered for them was the fact that they had Dean and Castiel back.

A small victory in this great battle...

Cautiously the Seraphim was placed on the large double bed of the bedroom and Gabriel made sure that his injured wing wouldn't be further affected. It looked awful and he could not even imagine how much pain his little brother had to endure when he would wake up.

Dean didn't look any better.

He was just next door, housed in the small guest bedroom and Sam and Bobby took care of him.

The body of the hunter looked terrible!

And when Sam took off his shirt, the younger Winchester and even Bobby couldn't resist the frightened sounding gasp and Gabriel knew why, because Dean's body looked as if he had fallen into a shredding machine.

His upper body was covered with deep scratches and only God alone knew from whom he got them. When Gabriel cut the robe of his little brother and undressed him carefully, he gasped in horror, because Castiel looked not a whit better. Quite the contrary, because his body looked as if someone had tried to skin him alive!

Again, there were deep scratch marks on his torso, partly still heavily bleeding and Gabriel was glad that his brother was an angel, because a human would have probably died long ago at the immense loss of blood and the severity of these wounds. But at its worst it had caught him on his back, and particularly on his wings. The extent of these wounds he could clearly see, when he very carefully turned his little brother on the side. One of his black wings looked as if it would fall off of his back any moment. Only scantily the wing hung on his shoulder and the Archangel could clearly see that the bone of the wing was broken.

Feathers had been plucked and bald spots were full of blood.

Gabriel felt how tears gathered in the corners of his eyes.

He sat down on the bed, on Castiel's side, took his head gently and placed it on his lap.

And when the messenger angel stroked his little brother through his hair, he could no longer hold back his tears.

His pride no longer mattered; he was just glad to have his little brother back.

But that's not how he had imagined their reunion...

"What happened Castiel? What did he do to you and Dean? What did Lucifer do to you?" he whispered softly and gently into his ear.

"If this would have been Lucifer, then the two would be dead now Gabriel."

The messenger angel flinched slightly when Crowley's voice came to his ears.

When he turned around, he saw the demon standing in the doorway.

His eyes betrayed nothing of what he was thinking.

He looked at Castiel blankly.

"What do you mean by that?"

Gabriel's voice trembled with the force with which he tried to control his tears.

"If Lucifer had gotten his fingers on them, then they would not be here, but dead or worse: In hell, in his personal torture chamber!"

The crossroad demon began to move and walked slowly toward Gabriel to get a better look at his brother.

"That was not the work of the devil. This was the work of a demon."

Gabriel grimaced and growled.

"What kind of demon would be able to harm an angel of the Lord?! Castiel is a Seraphim! Not even Lucifer would have a chance against a Seraphim and his full power!"

"And that's the point Gabriel. Our little Cas here has not yet regained his full strength. Lucifer doesn't seem to have taught him everything in fear Castiel would turn against him and betray him. And it looks like that this happened."

Crowley's eyes darkened.

"And I don't want to be here when Lucifer leaves out his anger on you!"

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at him.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I want to say that it's better for me if I go now. You started it so you finish it! But without me!"

And before Gabriel could say anything to him, Crowley disappeared.

"Coward!" Gabriel hissed in his rage.

From the beginning on the Archangel had the feeling that Crowley would betray them and use them only for his purposes, so he was hardly surprised at his flight. When it became too dangerous, the crossroad demon fled, like the little coward he was.

And probably this was also better for them, because who knew what Crowley may have planned behind their backs?

It was better if he now fled and left them alone.

But one problem was still there: Crowley didn't disappear without a reason.

Something big was coming and Gabriel couldn't get rid of the feeling that Lucifer was on his way to them.

If that was the case, then they had to bring Dean and Castiel immediately in security, because none of them knew whether Lucifer was not already on the way to them or not. And he would certainly seethe with anger and be out for revenge, because Castiel and Dean seemed to have dealt with one of his strongest warriors and Gabriel knew how strong his little brother was, and he knew that he had killed the demon that had attacked them.

Something that Lucifer would never forgive him, not to mention his betrayal.

But Castiel and Dean were too weak and the two were not even conscious.

How should they leave Crowley's house?

Gabriel could try to zap them to another location, but it would rob him of a lot of power when he did so and he had to bring them one by one to safety and what would happen if Lucifer would arrive and he wouldn't be in the house at this moment?

That would be Castiel's certain death, not to mention Dean and Bobby...and Gabriel knew that Lucifer would get Sam if he got the chance.

His big brother was capable of anything at this moment.

But no matter how much Gabriel racked his brain about it, there was no other solution.

If they wanted to survive, they had to act quickly now.

Castiel and Dean were unconscious, but stable and they would survive a transport well.

They could take care of their wounds when they were in a safe place.

But where should they go?

They couldn't go to Bobby's house, because Lucifer could track them there just like he could do here in Crowley's house.

He had to come up with something else. He had come around much when he was still a Trickster.

Here and there he had passed empty houses, institutions and even asylums, but he just couldn't remember where those buildings stood.

"Gabriel? Is everything ok?"

Sam's voice brought him back from his thoughts.

God's messenger winced briefly and looked at him with frightened eyes.

"Where is Crowley?"

Gabriel didn't need words to tell Sam that they were in trouble and that Crowley had fled, because he himself was scared of what was coming to them.

"We have to get out of here, Sam! How is your brother?"

"He is doing well. What's going on Gabriel?"

"Lucifer."

Sam didn't need to know more.

He turned around and quickly disappeared in the guest room and the Trickster heard how the young hunter talked with Bobby and shortly afterwards he heard how the two of them packed their bags.

The Archangel followed suit and he quickly grabbed a few things that they could possibly use. Above all, he plundered out Crowley's cupboard and took medicine and bandages. Gabriel didn't want to know why Crowley hoarded these things in his house.

He, as a demon, would hardly need that because nobody would dare to attack him...

He didn't think twice about it and so he stowed his things quickly in a bag and threw everything on the big bed, in which his brother lay. Just a few minutes later, Bobby was beside him and Sam arrived in the bedroom with his brother in his arms.

"Where shall we go Gabriel?"

"I don't know. We need to get as much distance from this place as we possibly can. Lucifer is probably following us!"

"How do you know that he is on his way to us? I mean, he doesn't know this house, right?" Bobby wanted to know and he threw the Archangel a questioning look and Sam did the same.

"Trust me, I know my brother better than you. He will already know where we are and he will be already on his way to us. We have to get out of here!"

"I know a place where we can go."

Gabriel and Bobby turned their heads to Sam.

"What place?"

"It is an old school, at the other end of the state. Dean and I were there once for a case."

"Is it safe there?"

"Yes, we've taken care of the problem. There we could hide until we know what we should do."

"Oh really Sam? Are you sure about that?"

Sam, Bobby and Gabriel almost froze to ice, as the deep voice reached their ears.

That couldn't be true!

Not here and not now!

But it was true, because when they turned around, they looked directly into Lucifer's face...


	32. Chapter 32

_And here comes the big, bad Devil..._

* * *

**Chapter 32**

Before even one of the three could react, they were seized by an invisible force and thrown against the wall behind them, where the iron grip of the devil held them. Even Bobby was not spared by Lucifer, was lifted out of his wheelchair and thrown against the wall.

Only Dean remained lying on the ground, because he was no risk, because the hunter was still unconscious. And even if he was awake, Lucifer would have not feared him in the slightest.

It would be rather the other way around...

Silently Lucifer looked at the friends, with a look colder than all the ice in the world.

Even Gabriel shuddered when his big brother turned his gaze on him.

"Don't try to fight back, little brother," Lucifer told him as he felt how Gabriel tried to fight against his invisible grip.

"You can't free yourself. You couldn't do it back in heaven and you can't do it now. Do you remember it? The times in heaven..."

Gabriel growled and tried to free himself again, but he just couldn't do it. Lucifer was too strong and he was right. Even then, back in heaven, he hadn't had the slightest chance against him and in those times it had been only a harmless little game. Today it was deadly serious, which could cost him his life when he just made a mistake.

How in the world had Lucifer found them?

Although...he radiated an incredible power as an Archangel and Castiel did the same as a Seraphim.

The gaze of the Lightbringer went on and stopped at Sam.

"Hello Sam. How nice to see you."

Lucifer's voice sounded smug and his grin was also, when his eyes were fixed on the young hunter's eyes and saw the fear in them.

"This is not based on reciprocity!"

Sam tried to sound fearless, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him.

And Lucifer knew how much he feared him when he looked into the boy's soul.

For good reason!

"No? What a pity, but don't worry Sam. You will change your mind for sure. When I take care of your brother…"

Sam's eyes were stiff with fright when the Archangel knelt down to his motionless brother and reached his hand out for him.

"Don't touch him!" the young Winchester hissed at the angel and he forgot his fear for a brief moment, which made Lucifer laugh in amusement.

"So sensitive Sam? Don't worry. I'll save that for later."

The eyes of the devil took on an eerie shimmer and his expression became serious and cold.

"I'm here for another reason."

His eyes turned to the bed in which Castiel lay as he spoke.

"This small, worthless Angel should pay with his life for his treachery!"

"NO! Let your anger out on me, but not on him!"

Lucifer turned around and looked at his little brother Gabriel with a piercing look in his eyes. Even God's messenger looked at him with fire in his eyes and the time seemed to stand still for a short time.

"Why should all my anger be directed against you, brother? Your betrayal is not as bad as Castiel's."

"My betrayal? What does that mean?!"

"You were the one who stood on the side of humanity. It is you who helps this unworthy scum! I should kill you for that right here and now, but Castiel's betrayal...no one dares to deceive me, as he has done it!"

To their all amazement Gabriel's lips curled into a sly grin.

"You, from all of us, should know best Lucifer, because it was you after all, who has betrayed our father and wanted to claim his throne for himself. Castiel gave you what already was overdue!"

A low rumble came from Lucifer's throat and his eyes seemed to impale the messenger angel. He reached his hand out for him and clenched it slowly into a fist, and the more his fingers curved, the louder Gabriel screamed, as the pain in his body grew stronger and stronger.

"No one dares to speak like that about me! Especially not you Gabriel! You're running away like a coward and you left father and all of us alone! I have loved our Father!"

Gabriel opened one of his eyes and tried to ignore the pain as best as he could, but this proved to be difficult, even for an archangel like him.

"I have also loved our f-father like you have loved him! So don't you dare lecture me!" he hissed through clenched teeth.

Sam and Bobby could only watch helplessly as Lucifer continued to torture Gabriel.

There was nothing they could do to help the Trickster.

When Lucifer lowered his hand and freed Gabriel from his anguish, he turned his gaze back to Castiel. He slowly walked over to the bed, where the Seraphim lay. He sat down at his side and looked at the wounds on his wings and his torso and again a small smirk appeared on his lips.

"Agares has done a good job, I'll give him that."

His face darkened again.

"What a pity that he was too weak to end it! Castiel killed one of my best warriors and I will never forgive him that!"

The morning star drew a dagger from under his clothes that glared ominously in the dim light of the ceiling lamp. Golden ornaments and jewels adorned the handle; the blade itself was made of pure silver. Still, it looked old, like a weapon from a long-ago battle.

Gabriel's eyes widened.

"Where did you get this knife?"

The devil didn't look at him, as he sat on Castiel's waist and took the dagger in both hands.

"Crowley should take better care of his toys."

So that had been the reason why the crossroad demon had fled.

Someone had managed to take this weapon from him and bring it to Lucifer.

Probably Agares...

But where in the world did Crowley get such a weapon?!

But the thought of the demon disappeared quickly and made space for fear.

Helplessly Gabriel had to watch how Lucifer slowly raised his dagger over the chest of the Seraphim.

"You coward!" Gabriel snapped at him and he tried to get rid of the invisible bonds with all his might, but he couldn't. He was too weak and Lucifer's torture had left its mark, had weakened him.

"If you really want to take revenge on him, then fight against him! What are you doing here shows us all what a coward you are!"

"Then I'm just a coward," was all that the morning star said and he made himself ready for the decisive blow.

But before the blade could pierce through Castiel's chest, Lucifer's hand was grabbed by the hand of his little brother.

Seconds later, he looked into two bright blue eyes that were looking at him with so much hatred that it made the devil shiver in fear for the first time in his life...


	33. Chapter 33

_Last chapter for **this** year and it ends with a big bang!_

_See you next year with a brand new chapter ;)._

* * *

**Chapter 33**

Only slowly Dean regained consciousness.

His eyes took some time to get used to the pale light of his environment.

He heard voices, screams...

Next to him something broke, on his other side something was thrown against the wall and briefly a pair of feet appeared in front of his eyes, which disappeared so quickly from his sight, as they had come.

Pain, so much pain inside his body, just like a parasite which ate its way through his body, his muscles hardened and his senses clouded. Sweat stood out on his forehead, covered the rest of his battered body. He tasted blood in his mouth and when he tried to move, he gasped as the pain threatened to overwhelm him.

Yet he fought bravely against it, and he made it to open his eyes completely after several attempts.

What he saw made his eyes widen in shock!

The pure chaos reigned in the room in which he found himself.

Furniture was destroyed around him, blood covered the walls and the floor and here and there he saw white, black and golden feathers that covered the ground and mingled with the blood.

It looked like a scene from a terrible horror movie!

Only laboriously Dean managed to get to his feet again and he almost jumped out of his skin, when a loud "DEAN!" sounded in his ears, and only a little later a strong arm was put around his shoulders and steadied him.

Beside him stood Sam and fear was visible in his eyes.

Fear, that mingled briefly with relief.

Relief, that his brother was awake again.

"S-Sam?"

Talking was difficult for him, because his body was still dominated by pain, but relief was now also to be seen in his eyes. He was glad to see his brother, was glad that he was still alive, because he had already expected the worst when he saw all the blood on the walls and on the floor.

"Don't talk Dean. Save your strength, we have to get out of here!"

"W-where...where...is Bobby?"

"He's safe. Gabriel took care of it. I will tell you everything later. Come now, we must get out of here immediately!"

Sam's words sounded in his ears, as if they were coming from far away.

He cared for nothing more in his surroundings, when he made the first steps and his eyes finally saw the reason for this mess, as he stepped out of the house.

Outside, in front of the house, seemed to rule a veritable war.

A war in which heaven and hell fought a fierce battle!

He saw Gabriel, how he was fighting against a crowd of bloodthirsty demons.

Here he beat some of them down to the ground with his golden wings, there he forced another down with an aimed blow on the back of his head and there he slit another's throat open with his archangel sword that the demon died with a loud scream on his lips. But other demons pounced on him and tried to kill him and Gabriel could hardly fight against them, because he was too weak already. It had taken all of his strength for being able to bring at least Bobby in security. Sam had insisted that he should save the rest of his forces to be able to help Castiel and Sam would take care of his big brother himself, like he was doing it now.

Gabriel had agreed only reluctantly, but he hadn't had much time to think about it.

The attack had come quickly.

After Castiel had awoken, he had thrown Lucifer into the next wall almost immediately with a single movement of his finger. His body had begun to glow and even Gabriel had to look away. Enochian words had come from the mouth of the Seraphim.

Words, so ancient as the planet itself.

Words that had even the Devil shivering in fear...

As the blazing bright light was gone, Castiel's wounds had closed and his wings were better again; looked as if nothing had happened.

But his mind seemed to have changed, because Castiel had not responded to Gabriel's words, when he had spoken to him. No. Once the Seraph had seen Lucifer, he had pounced on him like a wolf, who plunged on his helpless prey in his bloodlust.

The Morningstar had fought as good as he could, but when he realized that he had no chance against Castiel alone, he had called for help.

Then the demons had come and this once so quiet, idyllic place had turned into a battlefield.

A battlefield, through which Sam and Dean ran right now!

Sam just wanted to get away from this terrible place, just wanted to bring his brother to safety. From the corner of his eye, he saw Gabriel who killed another demon, who had tried to attack him from behind. Enochian words slipped over the lips of the messenger angel. Words, that were addressed to his brother Castiel, who was fighting against a crowd of demons not far away from him.

When Dean looked at him it made him speechless.

There was nothing more to see of the otherwise clumsy angel whom he had once met. There was no longer a confused twinkle in his eyes, which Dean and his brother had always loved to look at and the otherwise soft features of his face had hardened in his bloodlust. Dean was not even sure whether Castiel still recognized them or not.

"Dean! Watch out!"

When the hunter turned his head, he saw how Sam slapped a demon right into his face, who had tried to attack them. Dean turned his face away from Castiel, leaning with one arm on his brother, the other he had pressed against his broken rib. The pain that shot through his body made him almost see stars, but he tried to pull himself together, to concentrate and to keep moving.

They had to get away from this place immediately!

Away from the demons, away from Lucifer...and away from Castiel...

More demons tried to attack the brothers and only with great difficulty Sam and Dean managed to fend them off and keep running. More and more demons seemed to pay attention to them, because there were more and more of them who attacked them. Gabriel tried to help them, but he couldn't since he was still encircled and attacked by demons.

"Come on Dean, faster! We must get out of here!"

Dean had a feeling as if his lungs would jump out of his chest.

Each breath burned like fire in his lungs, every hard step let his body tremble in pain and he was panting and gasping for breath, but he kept moving. His will to live was stronger than any pain could be, and he forced his body to keep moving.

But the two didn't get far, despite all efforts, because they had forgotten an angel...

As soon as Lucifer stood before them, none of the brothers could look and before they realize it they were encircled.

The Lightbringer's body was covered all over with blood and you could see how the muscles of his human Vessel were shaking. Apparently Castiel had given him a hard time before Lucifer had gotten the chance to set his demons on him.

The Archangels eyes narrowed and a deep, almost inhuman-sounding growl came from the depths of his throat, when he fixed his piercing, red glowing eyes on Dean and Sam.

"Enough with your games!" he growled and he took a step towards the brothers who tried to step back, away from him, but they didn't get far.

When Sam heard the growl and smelled the foul breath he knew it was too late.

Although he couldn't see them, but he knew they circled him and his brother.

Hellhounds!

Lucifer seemed to want to do everything that Sam couldn't escape him this time.

An eerie grin crept onto the Devil's face and his eyes sparkled with something that sent a shiver down Sam's spine and instinctively he clung to his brother, held him close, tried to give him support, because he felt that Dean could barely keep himself on his legs any longer. He was too weak and the pain clouded his senses and it seemed as if he was about to faint again.

Lucifer's eyes wandered from Sam to Dean and his grin widened, the twinkle in his eyes became stronger and he spread his snow-white wings out, which he had visualized during the fight and which were now also full of blood stains.

"Dean is yours, but leave Sam alone, did you hear me?"

Low growling sounded and invisible claws dug into the blood-soaked ground, full of anticipation.

The eyes of the Lightbringer narrowed again and the grin faded from his lips and he raised his hand and pointed at Dean.

"Kill him!"

"NO!" Sam and Gabriel shouted almost simultaneously, but neither of them could stop the oncoming Hellhounds that ran to the two humans immediately after the command.

They hit Sam first, throwing him to the ground.

Mighty paws held the young Winchester onto the ground, foul breath stabbed him in the nose and a pained gasp came from his throat as more and more claws digging into his flesh and held him down.

Beside him, Dean fell to the ground and the older hunter began to scream, as the claws started to tear deep wounds into his body. Arms, legs, stomach, chest; nothing was spared and soon his blood soaked the ground and his vision clouded, as he could feel how death reached his ice cold hand out to him.

"DEAN!"

Sam squirmed wildly in the grip of the beasts, trying to kick, beat, even to bite them, but he didn't manage to break away from these monsters, and so he was forced to watch how the other Hellhounds tore his brother to pieces.

Even Gabriel couldn't believe what was happening before his eyes and he was trying to push the demons from his body with his last bit of strength. He even managed to do that, but he managed to make just a few small steps into Sam and Dean's direction, before the next demons were at his side and pushed him to the ground again. From the corner of his eyes he saw his brother Castiel, who just killed the last demon who had dared to attack him.

"CASTIEL!"

The Seraph turned his head in Gabriel's direction when he heard his name.

"Deus genesis in periculis versari!"

Almost immediately, the bright blue eyes of the angel went to Lucifer and he clenched his hands into fists so strongly that his nails dug into his skin. So much that a few drops of blood dripped to the ground and the feathers of his night-black wings stood up when his body was shaken by seemingly endless rage.

Lucifer's eyes were still directed at Dean and again a grin graced his face as he watched his Hellhounds in how they slowly tortured him to death. And here and there, his eyes turned briefly to Sam to be able to see pain and shock on his face. Lucifer knew how much Sam loved his brother. This had to be an incredible ordeal for him to lie there and watch helplessly how Dean was tortured and killed slowly. Soon, his soul would burn in hell again and the Lightbringer would personally ensure that no angel, not even Michael, would ever get him out there again!

But it shouldn't come that far!

A shadow fell over Lucifer and the angel lifted his head to watch for the source of the shadow and when he saw it, it made him speechless.

There, high above his head hovered his brother Castiel.

With his six wings he held himself in the air with ease, his eyes sparkled in a bright blue that burned into the morning star's eyes, but he didn't dare to look away. Castiel looked at him with so much hatred in his eyes, that Lucifer took a step back and out of the corner of his eyes he saw his Hellhounds and how they desisted from Dean and Sam to look to the Seraphim high above their heads and shorty after they burst into flames.

Yowling in pain the pack diverged.

Some tried to save themselves in the forest and others inflamed some demons near them, when they collided with them.

But neither Castiel, nor Lucifer, nor Gabriel, nor the Winchesters paid attention to it.

They all had eyes only for the mighty angel who hovered high above their heads and who still had his eyes fixed on Lucifer.

But soon the humans among them were forced to look away from him, as the heavenly light became too much for their eyes.

Then Castiel opened his mouth and spoke the sacred words that were as old as the Lord himself:

_"Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus. Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt et terra gloria tua cæli. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis."_

When those words left his mouth his whole body began to shine in a bright light, which became stronger and stronger and soon took over the entire clearing. The demons that had not yet fled got burned from the angel's sacred flames.

That was the last thing Sam and Dean saw, before their eyes closed and they fell into deep darkness...


	34. Chapter 34

_And the next chapter and a (pretty late) Happy New Year to everyone who follows this story.  
__Let us start with a calm chapter..._

* * *

**Chapter 34**

Birdsongs…

These were the first things he heard when he slowly woke up.

Slowly he stepped out of the darkness that had held him captive for so long.

His eyelids fluttered, a low moan slipped from his throat as the sunlight hit his face. He opened his mouth, tried to speak, but the words didn't dissolve from his throat. Instead only a gasp came out of his mouth, because his throat was dry. He tried to open his eyes, but the sunlight stung like a thousand needles in them and so he let it be. He tried to orient otherwise. His fingers closed around a soft blanket that lay on his body as he clenched his fists. His head was bedded on a fluffy, comfortable pillow and the pain in his body...it was gone.

There were no bleeding deep wounds, no more broken bones, nothing!

Only his head ached as though a tank drove over it.

His eyes got used to the stabbing light and he managed to open them a little further and the place where he was slowly took shape.

He saw old furniture in the small room in which he found himself.

Thin curtains hung in front of the window, but couldn't stop the sun.

He himself lay in a bed, which he knew all too well and his lips curled into a small smile and also his heartbeat calmed down a bit, as he began to realize where he was.

He was in Bobby's house and he was safe.

There were no longer angels or demons who wanted his death, no more pain, which robbed him of his mind, no more fear to be thrown into the depths of hell and there was no longer Lucifer who wanted to take over his little brother's body.

At the thought of Sam Dean's eyes widened and his heartbeat quickened again.

His brother!

Where was his brother?

Was he safe?

Or did Lucifer manage to get him in the end?

Panic took over of his body, as he thought about that and he would have loved to open his mouth and scream, but not a single sound came over his dry lips.

Minutes seemed to become hours and taciturn he just lay there, looking at the ceiling, his eyes still wide open. His chest rose and fell quickly; his heart was pounding wildly in his chest and in his mind arose terrible images he never wanted to see!

He saw Sam how tried to fight against Lucifer.

He saw how he lost the fight and how the Devil took over his body.

Then he saw the Archangel Michael in front of him and how he raised his sword against the only man in his life, which he loved more than anything else in this world.

Before his thoughts could go on further, became even more terrible, a noise penetrated his ears, which had its origin outside the door to Bobby's bedroom.

Steps!

Slowly someone climbed up the wooden stairs and came into his direction.

Closer and closer…

The doorknob was moving and only moments later, the door opened slowly and with a creaking, which sounded like fireworks in Dean's ears. The hunter turned his head ponderously to the side, trying to see who came through the door and entered the room and when his eyes met the person, all worry and anxiety fell away from him.

"S-Sammy..." he managed to get out with difficulty.

His younger brother was at his side almost immediately, looked down at him with a look in his eyes, as he didn't believe that his brother was with him again.

"Dean! Is everything alright? How do you feel? Do you feel any pain?"

Too many questions, way too many questions!

The older hunter turned his head back in a straight position, closed his eyes briefly and swallowed, causing a terrible burning sensation in his throat.

"Water..." he whispered so softly that Sam could barely understand him.

The younger brother had nevertheless understood him, got up and disappeared into the small bathroom, which was adjacent to the bedroom. A few moments later he came back with a glass of water. He helped Dean to sit up, led the glass to his lips, but Dean pushed his hand away and told him that he needed no help, that he could do this himself, but he couldn't. He was too weak and inwardly he was glad for the help his brother offered to him and so he drank without grumbling. The icy water tasted like the sweetest honey he had ever tasted, like silk put on his sore throat and robbed him of his pain.

"That's good Dean. Drink."

The glass was emptied in no time and Dean felt a lot better than before and also speaking seemed to be easier for him now, but Sam wanted him to spare his voice.

But Dean had questions.

Had a lot of questions and he wanted answers to these questions.

He didn't want to wait until his throat would feel better, because he wanted to have answers to his questions now. But before he got the chance to get a word out of his mouth, steps penetrated his ears again, that quickly approached the small bedroom and only moments later the door opened again and Gabriel entered the room.

Dean felt how a wave of relief overran him; one of the most beautiful feelings that he had felt for a long time.

His brother was fine, Gabriel was fine and from the floor among them Dean heard the muffled sound of moving wheelchair wheels, which told him that also Bobby was fine.

But one person was still missing...

"Well look at who is back among the living."

Gabriel's voice tore him from his daydreams and the elder hunter turned his full attention to the Archangel, who was much too cheerful for his taste.

"Gabriel...you're alive?" Dean managed to ask and a small smile formed even on his face, which the Trickster replied happily and he sat down on a chair beside the bed.

Sam meanwhile had sat down on the bed, right next to his older brother.

"Yes I live Dean-o, and it's nice to see that you're back with us as well."

"H-how long...?"

"How long were you unconscious? Almost two full days."

It took Dean a few moments to realize the meaning of those words.

"Two days ..." he whispered and he could hardly believe it.

He forced himself to calm down and turned his head back to Gabriel.

"Have you healed me?"

The gentle smile faded from the face of the angel, his gaze turned serious.

"No. I myself was very weak and thus I wasn't able to heal you. I have not even had enough power to get us out of there. Dean. What do you remember?"

The question seemed to surprise the hunter, because he was silent for a while, seemed to be thinking.

"I...I remember pain...hellish pain. It's as if I still could feel their claws and fangs."

He shuddered.

"I remember Lucifer. He laughed as they have torn me to pieces...or at least they tried. Then I can only remember a bright light. It was so blindingly bright that it burned in my eyes and I heard words I couldn't understand. That's the last thing I can remember. Then I woke up here."

His gaze went restlessly between his brother and Gabriel back and forth and he dared not to ask the next question.

"If you haven't healed me...then who did it?"

Gabriel's gaze softened, but the smile didn't return to his face when he opened his mouth and said what Dean had secretly been thinking:

"Castiel has healed you Dean. And he was the one who has saved our lives..."


	35. Chapter 35

_And here is the next chapter.  
After that another chapter will follow and then comes the epilogue and this story is done._

* * *

**Chapter 35**

The days passed and with each passing day it became better and better.

On the fourth day he was even able to get up and eat normally.

Sam, Gabriel and Bobby had taken care of him in the last few days and even if Dean wouldn't say it out loud, but he appreciated the help very much.

Gabriel had told him everything that had happened after the battle against Lucifer.

He had told him how the devil could flee with the last bit of his strength.

The demons and hellhounds that still had been there were gone up in flames and died a cruel death.

And Castiel?

He hadn't even recognize neither Dean nor Sam nor Bobby nor his own brother Gabriel.

It was as if someone had cleared his mind and only let him kill as a soulless machine.

"Where is he now?" Dean wanted to know in the morning of the fifth day, when he was just going to help Sam with the breakfast that he was preparing for all of them.

Gabriel looked at him only in silence, seemed to search for an answer.

"He's at the other end of the world. I have not spoken to him since the fight and he says not a word to me or any other angel. I also can't reach him on the "angel radio". It is as if he had completely sealed off."

Dean stopped briefly in his doing and looked out of the window.

"Would he recognize you or me or anyone of us?"

The Archangel sighed.

"I don't know Dean. After the fight he just disappeared without saying a word. I had to speak to him in the language of the angels, that he might save your life. I told him "God's creation is in danger," then he has defeated Lucifer, killed the demons and hellhounds and saved us all. I don't know what happened with Lucifer and if he is dead or still alive, and I don't know how Cas fared since then."

The despair swung in Gabriel's voice and was clearly visible in his golden eyes.

Apparently the whole situation stressed him out more than he would have been willing to admit.

Dean put his things aside and turned to Gabriel.

"Then there's only one way to find out. Bring me to him."

Even Sam and Bobby stopped briefly in what they were doing and looked over at Dean.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Sam wanted to know and concern swung in his words.

Even Bobby gave him a worried look.

"Honestly Sammy? I don't know, but we must do something. Cas is our friend. I realize that he has done terrible things, but that was not him. Lucifer has manipulated him and in the end he fought against him and he saved all of us and instead we help him now, we just sit here, making breakfast and discuss his mental state. That's not how friends and brothers should behave!"

In his final words he gave Gabriel a sidelong glance, which made the Archangel look away and the other two turned their attention gene floor as well.

Dean was right.

Castiel had all saved their lives and they didn't even consider it necessary in all the time, where Lucifer was defeated, to look after him and to convince themselves that he was fine?

If this really was the case, then they were all really shitty friends!

"I think Dean-o's right. After all what Cas did for us, we should now do something for him in return. Even if I still hold a grudge against him! He has tried to kill me, has slashed my leg and deceived me hard. This is something I can't just forget."

"And you don't have to Gabe. But we should at least try to make him come back to us. After that, we can still see what we will do. The important thing is that he is now out there, alone and an easy target for other angels. And if Lucifer is still out there, we need to ensure that he won't get his hands on him again. And let's not start talking about Crowley! Who knows where he is and what he plans behind our backs?"

"I don't think that Cas would let Crowley manipulate him," Sam dared to say and he immediately got a quizzical look from Gabriel.

"Don't be foolish Sam! My little brother is naive, you should know best. You can tell him what you want and he would believe you immediately. This is all new to him. Tell me Sam, how would you feel if you would find out that your brothers and sisters have lied to you all the millennia and concealed your true nature? Castiel is older than you can imagine. He is one of the last great angels that our father has ever created. Seraphim were created right after us, the Archangels. They should protect the Lord's throne and fulfill his halls with their voices and their light. They were not warriors and are not even today. And all of that breaks now together over Castiel's head."

Sam and the other two men were silent.

Gabriel was right with his words.

None of them could even begin to imagine how awful Castiel had to feel now. His whole life had been built on a lie, his own brothers and sisters had lied to him and deceived him, manipulated him and had forced him to do things that he would never have done.

Nevertheless, none of them was comfortable with the idea that Cas was all alone out there, while Crowley, Lucifer and other devilish creatures were out there as well, watching for their chance. Not to mention his brothers and sisters who also were probably looking for the Seraphim.

"If Crowley and even Lucifer are still out there, then we must do it Gabriel. Now we can take no regard of Castiel's feelings, as long as he is still all alone out there. We need to take him to safety."

Gabriel had to agree with Dean.

If he didn't want that all the past events repeated, then they had to react now and the best as soon as possible.

The golden eyes of the archangel turned to the older hunter.

"All right, if you are so sure about that then I'll take you to him, but don't expect too much from him. I have no idea how he will react, so I'll only take you with me."

His eyes turned to Sam and Bobby.

"You two stay here. It's for your own good. Dean and Castiel share a stronger bond with each other...assuming my little brother still remembers that."

Dean shuddered at these words and involuntarily images crept into his head, from which he hoped they would never come true. Pictures where he faced Castiel and where the angel drew a sword and attacked him, because he didn't recognize him.

He shook his head, banished those thoughts and tried to think of something else.

Cas was his best friend and something like that he wouldn't forget.

With new strength and self-confidence, Dean put his things aside that he had used for the preparation of their breakfast and made his way into the living room.

"I'll get my stuff. Then you can bring me to him Gabriel."

The archangel watched him, his eyes were blank and a small shudder went through his body and even he didn't know what they had to expect, if they had found Castiel.

"I hope you know what you're doing Dean..."


	36. Chapter 36

_And this is the Penultimate chapter.  
After that the epilogue will follow and this story is finished._

_And I am sorry that I took me so long to update on this fic._  
_I had huge Laptop problems which are fixed since yesterday..._

* * *

**Chapter 36**

It didn't take Gabriel long to bring Dean to the other side of the world.

A snap of his fingers later and Dean and the Angel stood at the edge of a tropical forest, gazing out to sea.

A gentle, warm breeze brushed through their hairs, brought the taste of sea salt to them.

The sound of breaking waves reached their ears, the tender whisper of the wind could be heard, but none of them had an eye for the beauty of this place at this moment.

Especially not Dean, since his eyes were fixed on the person who sat in the sand all alone at the edge of the water.

"How long has he been sitting there?"

Gabriel stepped beside him, while his eyes were fixed on his brother, who was sitting with his back to them and had his wings protectively wrapped around himself.

"The whole last days."

"What?!"

Dean looked at the Archangel in disbelief.

"Are you serious Gabriel?!"

"What should I have done in your opinion? He leaves no one close to him, not even me. He does not talk with me, does not react to my presence. I didn't know what I should do Dean. Should I forcibly drag my little brother back to Bobby's house?"

The hunter was silent, thinking about the words.

He had to agree with the Archangel.

Would they force Castiel to come back, then they were not better than all the other angels who had lied to Castiel and had betrayed him all these years; had forced him to do things that he would never have done. They had to just come up with something else. And above all, they had to build up confidence to him and even find out if Cas still recognized them.

"How close have you been to him Gabriel?"

"Apparently not close enough. I don't trust him Dean. This angel has a monstrous power hidden in his body. A power with I wouldn't want to mess with. I have never been closer than three meters to him and even then he didn't react to my presence. Are you sure you want to do this? I can't guarantee your safety."

"I'm sure Gabriel. I just have to try it. Cas has done so much for me and my brother and Bobby in the past. I owe him something."

"Well, as you wish. But don't say that I didn't warn you."

"I will be careful. Promised."

"Then stick to your word!"

Dean gave the Archangel a reassuring smile, before he silently turned around and walked slowly towards his friend.

Castiel seemed to take no notice of him or he just ignored him.

No emotion went through his body and the hunter ventured a little closer to him, until he was standing right next to him.

"Cas?"

His voice was so low that it was almost carried away by the whisper of the wind.

The angel still not reacted to his presence and Dean turned around to look at Gabriel who gave him a desperate look back, because he didn't know what they could do.

"Castiel? Do you recognize me?"

No Answer.

Dean was moving a little closer to him, sat slowly, very slowly, one foot before the other and when he was sure that the Seraphim would not attack him, he dared to sit down at his side.

"Cas...please talk to me..."

But the angel remained silent and motionless.

Until Dean stretched out his hand to him and was about to touch one of his wings now...

"Dean, don't do it!" Gabriel tried to stop him, but it was too late.

When his hand touched the soft, downy feathers, Castiel's entire body winced and each feather of his six mighty wings stood up slowly, testified that he wasn't very fond of this contact and that the human should better withdraw his hand.

But Dean didn't do so and his hand remained where it was.

He even went so far and he started to gently stroke the fluffy feathers with his fingers. He could see how Castiel tensed under this treatment and he could feel how the wing began to tremble under his palm.

But none of that stopped him in his actions and so his fingers continued to brush slowly and gently over the feathers, but without too much pressure to not scare the angel...even if Dean was sure that not Castiel was the one who should be scared here...

"Shhh Cas. It's only me. You know me and you know I would not hurt you. I would never do that. Please...look at me."

This time Dean's words actually got a reaction out of the angel.

However, one which he had not expected…

One of the black wings broke away from the embrace to Castiel's body and pushed him gently, yet determined, away from him.

"Go away..."

The angel's voice was just a whisper, barely audible, but Dean had heard the spoken words very well and it pained him more than he could have imagined.

Castiel's voice was so expressionless, so empty...it almost scared the hunter!

But stubborn as he was, he sat down at the side of his friend again... only to be pushed away again; this time a bit more roughly than expected.

"Cas, stop that crap and talk to me!"

"I said: Go away!"

This time anger was audible in the deep voice of the Seraphim and Dean shuddered involuntarily, but still he was not intimidated by his best friend.

Gabriel watched the whole thing from a safe distance, and he felt how nervousness spread inside his belly. His body was tensed to breaking point and he was ready to save Dean, should his little brother lose control of himself and his feelings.

But Castiel still just sat there, pushed the hunter away whenever he came too close to him and still he hid himself behind the rest of his wings.

"Please Cas..." Dean tried again and there was so much despair in his voice even the stoic angel couldn't ignore, because he took the wing, with whom he had kept his face covered, to the side and looked at Dean.

The sight was heartbreaking and Dean stumbled a few steps backwards, as he looked into the red eyes of the angel who bore witness that he had been crying.

"Dean…go away…please…"

The hunter pulled himself together quickly and walked over to the Seraphim again.

He got new hope, because Castiel's words proved it to him: he recognized him!

"No!" he said with a certain voice and his eyes were fixed on those of the other.

But there was no anger to see; only despair.

This was the look, which Dean had seen so many times on his brother when the world threatened to collapse over their heads.

A look so empty and expressionless, as if you would be done with life!

When one wanted to just lie down and die to escape this horrible life.

"Please Dean...I don't want to hurt you...not again..."

The words surprised the human, for he had expected that Castiel would have lost his memory after all what had happened and after what Gabriel had told them.

"You remember?"

There was no answer and Cas turned his head shamefully to the side, away from his friend who again sat down beside him and looked at him.

"Cas?"

The angel turned his head a bit back to him, looked at him from the corner of his eye, before his eyes went back to the sea and to the breaking waves on the water surface.

"What do you remember?"

The question seemed to only make matters worse for Castiel, because he avoided eye contact with the Hunter.

Nevertheless, he opened his mouth to speak.

"Everything Dean. I remember everything that has happened and all the terrible things that I have done to you, my brother and to all the others. I remember what Lucifer did to me, I remember how I almost killed you, I remember how I attacked my own brother and had seriously injured him and I remember that I had betrayed God and heaven with my cooperation with Lucifer."

Again, he was close to tears, but before they could flow, Dean took his face gently in his hands and turned it toward him, forcing him to look into his eyes.

"No Cas. Stop. Don't think about it any longer."

"How could I forget all of this Dean?"

"I know it's not easy to forget, but I know you can do it. Remember the good things you did. You've saved my life in this forest when you protected me from this demonic wolf and you have all saved our lives, when Lucifer was just about to kill us all and get Sammy's boys. Is that nothing in your eyes?"

There was no immediate response and Castiel wiped the tears from his eyes, before he looked into Dean's face. And this time, his eyes shone a little more than before, and the tears had dried.

"But...Dean...the other horrible things I've done..."

"Are nothing more than the past," the Hunter interrupted him quickly and he squeezed his shoulder slightly to give his words more emphasis.

"You have done a lot of shitty things, that's true, but who of us has not? It was naive of you to think that Lucifer wanted to do you something good...and hey, he has done it somehow. I mean look at you Cas: Six wings! You're one of the most powerful angels ever. And we all know how gentle you are, and you're wearing your heart in the right place. You just have to learn not to trust anyone. But for that you've got us and your big brother Gabe. Please Cas. Come back to us."

The last words got the angel and again Dean saw how his eyes filled with tears again and how his body began to shake.

"I-I can come back to you? After all, what have I done?"

Once again a hand gently squeezed his shoulder and the Hunter gave him such a warm smile that the warmth came back into his body.

"You can always come back to us Cas. You're family..."

And again the tears flowed, but this time they were not filled with grief and shame. No. This time they were tears of joy and Castiel could not restrain himself and gave the hunter a hug, that made the human blush, but his lips curled in spite of everything into a smile and he returned this friendly gesture, before he nudge the other encouragingly in the back.

"Don't worry about the past Cas. This will be a new start now…for all of us..."

Dean turned his head slightly to one side, looked at Gabriel and with a slight nod of his head he silently told him to come over to them.

When Dean got up again, Gabriel was already beside him and he looked at his brother, who whimpered at the sight and quickly turned his head away from him. After all what he had done, he didn't even dare to look into his brother's eyes, but the archangel could not be dissuaded from his purpose and with a nod of his head he said Dean that he wanted to spend some time alone with his little brother and Dean turned around to leave these two alone.

These two needed this talk badly!

Of course he could understand that Cas didn't want to, but it would be a first step.

The first step into a whole new life which they would live all together, no matter what terrible things were still in front of them...


	37. Epilogue

_And here is the epilogue, which will end this story.  
At this point I would like to thank all my readers and followers.  
You guys are awesome :)  
Thank you so much for reading and for writing me all those kind reviews :3._

_And now please enjoy the last chapter of this story._

* * *

**Epilogue**

With great difficulty and with the very last bit of power he had managed to escape the wrath of the Seraphim.

Badly injured, he had stolen away and now he was here in his hiding place; left alone by all.

His subordinates were dead or had sought their safety in flight.

Cowards!

They, too, would get to feel his wrath when he would have regained his strength!

But his plans for revenge had to wait until he was fully recovered.

His body had sustained serious wounds, his wings had been nearly torn in the brutal attack and his pride as the Lord of Hell had gone over Jordan.

What was this little, worthless stupid angel thinking to humiliate him like that?!

Not to mention Crowley who had been working against him all the time also and had disappeared in the end, like the little coward who he was!

A dark rumble rose from the depths of his throat, the air around him seemed to heat up through his ongoing anger and the feathers, which had remained on his wings, stood up.

They all would have to pay for what they had done to him.

And he would let Castiel suffer the most!

This little miserable traitor!

He had tried to be nice to him, had tried to manipulate him so that Castiel would voluntarily come on his side and he had succeeded for a certain time, would this human scum had not been and his little brother Gabriel who had dared to interfere in his plans to pull Castiel back to their side!

Not to mention God, who surely had been responsible for Castiel's new strength he had showed him in the last fight.

Oh yes, they would all get to feel his wrath when he once regained his strength and cruelty.

And this time no one would be able to stop him!

Not even Michael…and not even God!

This world would perish in the fires of hell and he would rise as the new ruler of all life.

Ohhh yes!

Soon his time would come...

**The End**


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